


Mirror: Path of Scars

by Orca_child



Series: The Chaos Act [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: A lot of wolves!, Action/Adventure, Blood and Gore, Child Soldiers, Dark Fantasy, Demonic Wolves, Demons, Gen, Gods and Goddesses, Good Demons, High Fantasy, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Minor Romance, Monsters, Original Fiction, Original Mythology, POV Alternating, POV Third Person, Reincarnation, Superpowers, Swearing, Telekinesis, There's a big ass war so beware, Tragedy, War, Wolf Pack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 66,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26771002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orca_child/pseuds/Orca_child
Summary: Okay, new summary:Mirror is a stunning planet inhabited by none other than demons of all varieties without so much as a hint of humans anywhere. Of these demons are the Demonic Wolves, beautiful canid demons with powers that are enough to rival even the manipulations of Gods themselves. Slash is a Demonic Wolf born on the second largest of the planet's five principal continents, Central, where he lives peacefully with his older brother Fang. One day, an event occurs that causes the brothers to separate and walk down two different paths of life. Slash, the life of a Sapphire Sin Scavenger, and Fang the leader of a resistance dead set on destroying a growing cult and a God worthy of everyone's fear.After a long era of peace, finally, the world is spiraled back into infinite chaos and despair for the third time in history; it's up to the brothers to figure out how to survive this world war with their allies, mortal and immortal alike.(Tags will be updated as I go along.)
Series: The Chaos Act [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1951771
Comments: 3
Kudos: 4





	1. Prologue

The universe is a vast place with so much unexplored and so much unknown. Life itself breaks the very boundaries of sapient understanding with its sheer illogical concept. Every life is unique and over the course of millions of years, the universe had developed so many lives and thrown so many away. History is the path of footprints left in time and each planet has its own set of footprints following behind as it moves forward in time. Mirror, a planet far from Earth in another section of the galaxy, has its own set of footprints trailing behind it. 

The world is a direct mirror of Earth in regards to life, plants, and animals; even bacteria is the same as it is on Earth. The only difference is the lack of humans. In their place were demons brought to the planet by Lucifer, a natural-born demon who was named after the mighty fallen angel of Hell. The demons of Mirror live just as the humans of Earth do, living peacefully alongside nature, eating, drinking, praying to their gods, singing wonderful songs, experiencing hardships and happiness. It is all the same and one could hardly consider them any different. Life itself is cherished, but it is all just a mirror of the world the God of the universe loved dearly.

Since the dawn of the demons, over a million years has passed and the world spun in time through war and events that shook the planet and changed it, be it for better or for worse. Across the five continents, many cultures and races formed, many kingdoms had risen and fallen, many lives were born and were taken. Many things were forgotten, while many things would be remembered for all of eternity, etched into the very being of the world. 

The Compass Sisters and Lucifer; the Lady of Sins, Sapphire; the Harmony family; the Axis and Great Mother Keshawn; such names would never be forgotten and would always be present in history, for the mark they left was beyond comprehension. 

The planet never stops spinning, the days never stop passing, and history never stops forming. One thing the demons had learned over time was that with every beauty came a horror, with every joy a sorrow, with every unity a revolution. One would reap their sins and accept their virtues' blessing. 

Yes, with every Unity came a Revolution. A time of peace was always followed by a time of chaos. The demons knew that very well. 

The First Unity. The First Revolution. 

The Second Unity. The Second Revolution. 

The Third Unity. The Third Revolution?

_"Ah, well, the Third Revolution actually has yet to happen; history is still developing after all! But following the unity will surely be a revolution, and in its wake an era of destruction and renewal. Just remember, both chaos and peace are required for utopia, working in a disorderly but strangely functional harmony. You can never curse the sins that are required for balance; that's just how life is."_

~~ ______ ~~

Opening his eyes, a youthful wolf stood in a barren woodland scene, his eyes staring firmly at the afternoon sunlight, trickling between the foliage above to the mulch-covered ground beneath his paws. He scanned the ground and took a whiff of the air. His ears swiveled to listen in on all noises around: the late summer leaves rustling on their branches with every breeze and every squirrel's hop, the chirping of small birds, but, despite his hope, nothing of the scampering of small prey. He raised his head and felt the breeze better, trying to take in the scents from farther off, but getting nothing but stale smells. His brows knit and he muttered, "Nothing." He lowered his head and gave a brief shake before trotting off deeper into the woods. 

He carried on with a slow pace, his ears twisted to hopefully pick up any signs of a meal, but was continuously left dejected as nothing made itself known. He silently maneuvered through the shrubs and trees, eventually bringing himself to a full stop. _'No good. Why can't I find anything today? There's no prey at all; this is frustrating.'_ With a grimace, he pivoted back and forth trying to find something for a snack, but once again he found himself left without options. _'Seriously? I guess this means no late lunch.'_

Finally giving in, he pouted and began to charge back home with a bit of fire in his step. He was going back with nothing to show for. His grumbling and whining were cut short as he heard a high-pitched howl in the distance, one beckoning him closer. He perked up and turned to the direction of the sound, his large emerald eyes wide in curiosity. _'Brother? What are you doing?'_

The pup's face darkened and he spun around, sprinting towards the source. 

* * *

_"The demons of Mirror have overcome numerous trials, most of all the war between the Demonic Wolves and their Angeloid kin for equality. But, as it may be, there are still many obstacles left in life for all of the demon races. The Third Revolution - just how much would the world suffer from this fated collapse of peace? This is only the beginning, the darker half of utopia is the present, and the fight will begin!"_


	2. Auspicious Calamity - 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you're aware, the numbers at the beginning of each chapter is the in-story date for that chapter. Mirror uses a different calendar than Earth token as the rotation and the inhabitants are very different.  
> It's 468 days a year, with there being no months or known weekdays. It's simply divided by season and then the day of the season. Each season is 117 days long. Before that is Era, and after the day is Year. In this case, it's just become a new Era, PK, and we're starting in the year 0000. (Need more information? Just ask me!)  
> ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_PK - Summer, 114, 0000._

* * *

Arriving at the den, the gray wolf called a greeting and crept inside. "Fang? You there? Did something happen?"

A large wolf with odd, glistening, azure-blue fur stood and glanced towards the voice. Seeing his brother sneaking in, he stepped over and greeted him. "Slash, you've come back!"

Slash bowed his head and glanced around. He sniffed the air and bristled as he caught a scent. Fang chuckled and stepped back. "Fang, who was in here?" Slash glared up at his elder brother. "Someone was here, who was it?" His ears swerved as he waited for an explanation.

Fang could barely keep himself from sighing. "Relax, they were only some travelers; they're not even a part of a pack! Come here, I'll explain." He nodded to the fire and plopped back down.

Knowing that the visitors were loners, Slash relaxed, and shifted deeper into their home. He settled down beside Fang's fire, directly across from the male. He glanced around the underground burrow with the aid of the flickering flame. The dirty space was sparsely decorated with scrolls, animal skins, and an herbal showcase made from a dead log. Seeing as there was nothing out of place he rested his suspicions, tucking them away in a corner of his mind. With that out of the way, Slash eyed his older brother, silently questioning him. "How many of them were there?" he asked. 

"Well, only one came to see me, but she said she had two sisters waiting elsewhere. Approaching a male they had never seen was a bit frightening; they couldn't tell what I would do to them." 

Slash narrowed his eyes. "And why exactly did they approach you? What were they here for?" Like he would just ignore this. Travelers or not, they were a threat - female demonic wolves were especially vicious when angered. They made even the largest, ugliest male look harmless, even cute in comparison. 

Fang watched as the youth nosed at his paw, his lips curved into a forced smile. "Well, Slash... can I be honest with you?" When he saw he had the boy's attention, he continued to say, "I think we should try to form a pack with them. Their old pack was ravaged and they were the only ones to escape. Besides, it'd be way easier to get food and defend ourselves if there were others." He didn't dare shift his eyes away from the ground. Even so, he could feel Slash's eyes drilling into him with all the venom attached. When he finally glanced up, the face was different than he expected. There wasn't even an ounce of spite on Slash's face and it seemed quite blank. 

"Fang, have you forgotten who we are? Do you really think we need a pack?" Slash's face sunk and became full of shadows. "No way, I'm not being a part of this. If you wanna be led on by those girls, go ahead. It has nothing to do with me." 

"What? But I can't just leave you here alone!" Slash abruptly stood up at those words, his lips peeling back. Fang silenced himself the moment those teeth were brandished. He watched as his brother stood and relocated to a darker part of the burrow, baring his back to his sibling. The older wolf stared at that hunched back and knit his brows. "Slash, just listen. This place is dying: the animals, the birds, haven't you noticed their numbers have dwindled?" 

Slash glared at the other from the corner of his eye. "I don't trust them," he grumbled. "We don't need a pack, especially not with those shady sisters! My gut tells me they're bad news, and I haven't even met them yet." He stood and stormed off to the exit. "If you get yourself killed trusting the wrong people then so be it!" Ending the conversation at that, he dashed outside. 

"Slash, wait!" Fang stood, ready to chase his defiant brother, only to give up the task. As the kicked-up dust settled, Fang sat there with his ears reeled back. He let his tense body relax. "When are you going to learn," he muttered. Fang's eyes examined the dirt floor before they shut. _'This place isn't our home anymore.'_

Glowering as he walked, Slash came across a creek skirting a large boulder. He hopped across the creek and climbed atop the boulder, sinking in the sunlight. He stared down at the creek where some water striders skidded away further downstream. Slash had always come to this place when he was upset with Fang. The pup sighed miserably and fell onto his side so he could just pretend he was a corpse. Sometimes he didn't even want to think about anything and this place would let him. The way the rock soaked the heat of the sun and the way it warmed his soul when he rested upon that lukewarm rock, it felt peaceful and calming. His heart was set at ease instantly, allowing his cloudy mind to clear. The forest was silent and allowed him the moment of peace. 

As time passed, he began to mull over the words he and Fang exchanged. In truth, his brother was right. There was logic in his words and nothing Slash could say would prove otherwise. This was their home, but sometimes home isn't always the best place to be. Prey was becoming scarce and the selection was thinning, and he couldn't catch any lunch for either of them today as a result. Knowing that he was being a nuisance, he couldn't stop himself from agreeing: maybe it was time to leave their birthplace. A forest so young that is dying is a pitiful scene. Drew's demise should have been the signal that the land was unstable. Joining a pack was probably the best bet they had at surviving in an unfamiliar world. He sat up and grumbled, "But not with those girls!"

One of his ears twisted to the sound of the creek's burbling. Going silent, he couldn't fight the unease creeping into his heart. _"It's strange. It seems a bit different today. How is it usually again?"_ He surveyed the area and sucked in a breath. He rose to his paws and let his tail slip between his legs. He realized what was off: the birds were mute, not a single chirp, nor a single song. Something was causing the birds to go quiet and hide, possibly even frightening them. Deciding it was no longer safe, he began to ease off the boulder, only to jump at a pattering to his left. His head whipped to the noise to see a pinecone rolling across the ground. He exhaled in relief and strolled over to the pinecone. "You scared me," he whispered. He rolled the seed-bearer under his paw and dismissed his anxiety. "This is ridiculous!" He kicked the pinecone away where it plopped into the creek. 

His heart sank again the moment his ears perked. Daring his instincts, he glanced up the tree he was under. His eyes instantly connected with two golden irises glaring right back at him. Perched in the leaves above was a beast ready to pounce. Without warning, the beast lunged at the pup with its maw gaping. The small and swift Slash quickly zig-zagged out of harm's way, stumbling towards the creek in his panic. He caught only a glimpse of the beast, but he already knew how deep he had sunk. It was a Sin Lion. He pivoted for just a moment to see the beast, regretting it instantly. The white figure was standing with jagged claws dug into the ground and fangs flaunted. The Sin Lion turned and used its hind leg to scratch at the grotesque gash along its side, not caring if it caused the bleeding to worsen.

Noticing the wounds, Slash couldn't help but curse himself. _'Was it being attacked and hid here by chance? I have bad luck, geez!'_ Slash backed away from the beast before turning tail and bolting across the creek. _'I can't fight this off. No way in hell. I have to get Fang.'_ Seeing him flee, the beast roared and charged after him, digging up the earth stuck to its claws. The wolf dared not look back; he didn't even need to. His round eyes were near spinning as they scanned the area ahead. All his attention was fixed on not tripping. Anything he came across he could duck below or hop above. On any account, it's not like he needed to turn back for he could easily hear the beast mowing down everything in its path. 

Slash's mind shut down as a sharp pressure spread from his tail, sending his nerves alight with pain. He was brought to a complete halt by the beast as it clamped down onto his tail. From behind the beast, a tree was partially uprooted. Tired of this game of chase, the Sin Lion swept its paws under Slash's hind legs, sending him collapsing onto the earth. It released his tail and pinned him to the ground, snarling into his ear. Slash's ears pressed against his head and his tail retreated between his legs. ' _No. No! I'm not going to be killed now, am I? Is this really how I die? Why did this happen?'_ All of Slash's formerly chaotic thoughts became cloaked in dread. He didn't want to accept this fate, but he couldn't think of any ways to escape. Sin Lions were created as warriors by the Western Goddess herself. Their power was unmatched by any other animal in the world. 

Swallowing any pride he might've had, he inhaled. "Fang! Help me!" he yelled at the top of his lungs for his brother, praying to the goddesses above that there would be a miracle. The Sin Lion jumped at the sudden noise and dug its claws into his back. Slash whined at the stabbing pain. 

Without warning, a figure dove from higher ground and crashed into the Sin Lion. The impact sent the beast sliding away from its victim, the figure landing defensively over Slash. Hearing the beast get knocked away, Slash's head shot up and he regarded the one hovering above him. He witnessed a wolf who wasn't his brother. His fur bristled at the sight of the female above him. He didn't know who she was or why she was helping him, so all he could think of was a threat. Regardless, she was his best bet. It didn't matter whether she was friend or foe so long as she got rid of the Sin Lion. He panicked the moment the female peeked at him, their eyes locking. He turned his head away, avoiding her unfamiliar gaze.

The female chuckled and returned her focus to the Sin Lion standing not far away. Silver eyes matched gold ones as the pair stared at one another. The she-wolf broke the silence. "Were you attracted to this child? Was it fun venting on him?" She eyed the trembling pup on the ground and then cocked her head. "It's honestly a shame, you frightened the poor thing quite a bit." She stepped away from Slash and smirked, looking the Sin Lion up and down. "You really did run a ways away. Seems a punishment is in order." Within moments she closed the space between the two, bursting straight for the Sin Lion's face. She dug her canines deep into the beast's right eye, causing blood to sputter out as it roared. It thrashed its head, yowling in agony, eventually tossing the she-wolf away. The wolf flipped and landed perfectly on all fours near Slash. She gave a wink to the pup watching her and smiled.

Licking the blood from her teeth and spitting it out, she shifted back over to the Sin Lion. "Is that really all you can do? No acrobatics? No charging? No biting? I'm a little disappointed here. Normally Sin Lions are fighting geniuses who can figure out complex plans, but you've displayed none of that skill during our run-in. I might as well make you into an experiment!" Her pupils shrank as she gave a crooked smile. " _How much fear can you feel?_ " 

Rubbing as its gored eye, the Sin Lion could only glare at her with the one eye it had left, soaking her in disdain. The crimson blood stained its white fur as it streamed from the injury.

Satisfied with her work, the wolf gave a shrug and her eyes began to glow black. The black rhombus marking on the she-wolf's forehead gave off a black mist that rose into the air. The smoke flew to the Sin Lion and made contact with the confused beast's forehead. Her face relaxed as a black rhombus similar to hers formed on the beast's brow. The beast instantly went stiff as if it had been petrified. The wolf's body went stone-still as well, leaving the spectating Slash confused. The pup stared curiously at the pair, tilting his head to the side with a blink.

____________________

The Sin Lion glanced around in confusion as both wolves had vanished from its line of sight. Its sole good eye zig-zagged, trying to figure out where they went. It spun around and noticed that the forest was different. The world around it was frozen, completely silent, and almost dead.

"Tell me," the beast flinched to a voice, "do you know where we are?" The female stepped from behind a tree and approached the confused Sin Lion. It scowled at the sight of her, not knowing what sort of trick she was pulling. "Well, let me take this time to ask you a few questions. I know you can't respond, but might as well. Why did you feel the need to run away from me? Did you think your life was so worth living to escape your fate? If I don't kill you, someone else will. You Sin Lions don't have any worth to this world, so I don't see the point in any attempts to flee." She sighed and shrugged off her concerns, "Regardless, you're weird for a Sin Lion. Seems that despite your body not having any gold yet, you've developed a personality. How odd. Might have to report this." 

When she looked back at the beast, it had nothing but mild irritation painted on its bloodied face, obviously finding her words vexatious. She chuckled at its display and sneered with a crooked toothy smile. "Suit yourself, let's get started!" The wolf sprung into the air and burst into bright light, fading within seconds. The world around it began moving, but not in a lively way. Its head swung back and forth as it watched all of its surroundings get sucked up. The landscape was being eaten by the sun, slurping it up like a casual meal. In its wake was pure darkness with no visible end. It glanced up at the sun as the last bits of color and light were consumed. Once everything was gone, the floating object seemed to swirl around and burst into a small flame, similar to one seen on a lit matchstick, and went out, leaving the Sin Lion in a void of black. The beast looked back and forth for something, anything, of some semblance of form. Where it was, what was happening, both of those things were unknown. If it knew anything, it was that the silver-eyed wolf was behind whatever was happening. It was _her_ trickery the Sin Lion was witnessing. In what little mind it had, it scorned her with every drop of hatred it could muster. 

"Hm, you're just going to stand there? That's no fun. You're boring!" The she-wolf's voice rang from all directions, but no direction all at once. The Sin Lion froze in its spot and lowered its head. Unable to figure out what was going on, it could only submit in panic. "They say the smart ones are the boring ones, but this dumb thing right here is so much more annoying to watch! I should just end this now," she muttered. With that, her voice was no longer heard, and everything returned to a deathly silence. 

Just as it began to wonder what would happen, a strange static began to fill the black. It seemed to almost shift, creating an odd sloshing noise. As if on cue, eerily enough, a pair of massive eyes appeared from within the darkness. Slowly they opened and looked down at the beast from behind. A moment later, eyes of all sizes began to appear all over the endless abyss, all setting their focus on the frozen beast. Underneath the eyes, large crooked smiles appeared. The mouths sang out at the same time, their voices overlapping. "Hey, do you wanna play a smidgen?" With a giggle, the pupils narrowed down to vertical slits like that of a cat's in bright sunlight. The crooked smiles laughed to no end, a string of endless chitters. 


	3. Auspicious Calamity - 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No beta from this point on. We die like men. 
> 
> ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_PK - Summer, 114, 0000_

* * *

Slash propped himself up on uneasy legs, not looking away from the Demonic Wolf's suspended figure. What once seemed like the beginning of an intense fight became a stagnant standoff. He edged closer to the she-wolf, sniffing at her. ' _Is this some ability of hers? They've been like this for a few minutes now. This is crazy.'_

Suddenly, the she-wolf's eyes flew open and her whole body shivered, the fur standing on end. The sudden motion caused Slash to leap to the side. "You-" He gaped at her and crouched down with his ears twisted. The female stared blankly at the Sin Lion, her eyes empty. 

"That's a shame," she said. 

Slash tilted his head in confusion at her words, then shifted to observe the yet unmoving Sin Lion. The beast had a look of shock stuck on its face, unable to alter. Then, blood began dripping. The red oozed from every possible orifice on its face, trickling down to the dirt below. With eyes rolling back, the beast collapsed onto the ground without any measure of grace, leaving Slash utterly baffled. Not in a million years did he expect to see such a show of horror. 

The she-wolf turned to Slash with a gentle smile. She raised her chin into the air and flicked her tail, "You alright, little one?" Slash rapidly nodded while remaining entranced by the Sin Lion's corpse. He raised a brow as the black rhombus vanished from its forehead in a wisp of smoke. The darkness drifted back to the marking on the female's head, fading into it. Once her mark was settled, the she-wolf exhaled and relaxed her body. "Sorry for not helping out earlier. I was checking out to see if you'd be able to escape on your own. Turns out I was wrong."

Slash lowered his head shamefully, "Sorry..." 

"You shouldn't be sorry. I could have killed it many times before it hurt you but I didn't, so I should be apologizing," she said. She nodded at the claw marks on the pup's back, "Does it hurt? They don't seem to be bleeding anymore." She tilted her head examining the injuries. 

Slash glanced back at the cuts and shook his head, "It's fine, it doesn't hurt."

"Oh. Well, that's good." 

He eyed her up and down. She didn't seem to be malicious. Could she have been the one who came to their den earlier? No, she couldn't have been. Her scent was different. Besides, Slash didn't feel the same suspicion from her he did from den's scent. But why was she in his forest? Possibly it had something to do with the Sin Lion that attacked him; that seemed a good place to start anyway.

"Umm, can I ask a question?" When she hummed her consent, he continued, "Why were you chasing that?" The she-wolf perked up and glanced back at the Sin Lion corpse. 

"That? Oh, it's my job! I'm a Sin Scavenger; someone who hunts Sin Lions for a living." She raised her chin and puffed her chest out. 

"Sin Scavenger? You _live_ hunting those monsters?" His tail unconsciously wagged as he understood. The woman standing before him was an amazing person. No doubt she was powerful too; she took it out within minutes. 

"Naturally!" She gave him a smirk. "By the way, do you live around here, little one?" 

Slash nodded and shifted, ready to lead her away, "With my brother. Been here since the day we were born. I know these parts really well. I can show you around." 

"No need, little one. I'm not staying long as I've got a home to get back to. But, I can escort you back to your family if you want," She said as she walked up to Slash's side. 

The pup was brought to a halt by the words and frowned, "I don't want to go home," he muttered. The she-wolf's tail fell and she made a small noise. The pup's frown became a grimace and he began stomping off. "I'm not happy with my brother right now, so I'd rather stay with you!" 

"You, uh, in a fight with him?" Her ears went down and she padded after him. 

"How could you have ever guessed that?" Slash said, his voice flooded with immense sarcasm. He then rolled his eyes as if he weren't clear enough. 

She gave a nervous chuckle. "You wanna talk about it? I promise I'm all ears!" she jumped after him only pausing to glimpse back at the Sin Lion's corpse. She huffed and narrowed her eyes. _'I'll be back for you later.'_ The wolf then bounded after the pup catching up to him.

  
  


Having followed the pup back to the creek, the two sat beside the boulder while talking. The female, who revealed herself to be named Willow, had listened to the pup's complaints and even learned of the situation of the forest from him. In a dying forest with diminishing prey, one could only await death. "Suspicious girls, huh? You haven't even heard the whole story and you hate them already. Quite the gut you've got." 

"I don't need to know them. I can feel the evil that comes out of them!" He said.

"Hah! That feeling evil didn't come very in handy with the Sin Lion now did it?" Willow teased with a chuckle. Slash glared at her but all she did was raise an eyebrow. Clearly, she didn't think much of him. 

"How am I supposed to feel something that isn't even a demon? Are those things even alive?" he exclaimed.

Willow paused and eyed him for a while. Her silver eyes scanned the boy from nose to tail, shoulder to toe. When he was finally getting uncomfortable, she spoke up, "You want to learn more about them? Rather, do you want to learn how to fight?" 

"What? I can fight just fine thank you." 

"Slash, you're a pup. I doubt you can fight. No offense." 

"Much taken," Slash grumbled. 

Willow lowered her head, "Look, I've been thinking about what you said and I have a proposal. Firstly, you're not in favor of your brother's decisions. Secondly, you have a desire to take your own path but you don't have the strength to do so. How about I give you a new option?" 

"Like what? Me to join your pack as a Sin Scavenger?" 

"Precisely," she chirped. "I'll take you as my disciple." 

Slash's mind stopped for a moment as he processed her offer. Him? Disciple? A Sin Scavenger like Willow wanted to train him?

He sprung to his feet, tail wagging. "You'd do that?! For real? You'd let me join your pack just like that?" For something like this to happen, maybe running into that Sin Lion wasn't so bad after all. To think such a calamity could be so auspicious.

Willow nodded and hopped onto the boulder, spinning around and standing bold. "Alright! From this day onward, I hereby declare Slash my student! I swear to make him into a wonderful Sin Scavenger who can fight off any threat!" She paused and then winked, "Including suspicious ladies who want to steal his big brother away." 

"What? Willow!" he pouted for a moment and then fixed himself to stand in the same pose Willow was using. "I promise I'll train hard under you. But, does this mean we have to tell my brother?" 

"Of course it does." She dropped back to the ground and nudged him, "You can't just leave without notice. What if he gets worried and tries to find you? Think about your brother a little more." Slash's tail fell alongside his spirits. He really didn't want to see his brother, but he had no choice in the matter. Vanishing into thin air would cause more than a few problems in the long run, it seemed. Without much enthusiasm, he agreed to visit his brother, but only if she remained by his side. 

The two then carried on, Willow escorting Slash to his den with Slash muttering curses nearly the whole way. Despite his rowdiness, the pup was obedient and didn't bother with any detours, heading explicitly towards his den and nowhere else. During the walk, Willow simply watched him as he swore under his breath, her own mind wandering down the path of wonder. What in the world was she about to get herself into? 

A small smile graced her lips and silver eyes softened. _'He's grown up strong. Seems like you had nothing to worry about, dear old friend.'_

  
  


As they walked, numerous questions stacked up in Slash's mind about the pack he was looking to join. He didn't actually ask her anything about her pack or why she even wanted him as an apprentice in the first place. Not that he was going to question her decision, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for him! No way was he going to mess this up by being too nosy or suspicious. Willow didn't even give off a bad aura, so it was clear she was far from malicious. Rather, he felt she was oddly safe. Willow gave him a sensation of warmth and security he hadn't known in such a long time. Not since that day. He shunned the thoughts he was bound to bring up and instead bounced to Willow's side almost smacking into her. It was time for him to get some answers. 

"Hey Willow, do you always work alone? Does your pack ever back you up?" 

Willow shot him a hard look for his reckless movement. "They don't with me, but I'm an odd case. Usually, members of my pack will work in pairs. The normal set up is a Sin Scavenger and Medic combination. Sometimes a Medic will work with multiple Scavengers on larger jobs. But if it's just one Sin Lion all we need is one fighter. Medics can fight but that's not their specialty," she explained. 

"Wow. So I'll have a Medic too?" 

"Only if you want one! Some wolves can take on both jobs and act as their own Medic. It's not a dumb choice if I do say so myself." She preened a bit, clearly praising her own capabilities. "But enough questions about me. Let me ask you something. How do you feel about taking part in an annual ceremony of ours? It's taking place tonight." 

"A ceremony? What kind of ceremony?" He tilted his head to the side in fascination. Willow snickered with a wicked glint in her silver eyes. The curiosity of the youthful was always a joy, questions raining down left and right like a droplets in a hurricane. Slash probably didn't realize just how many things he'd asked of her today, and Willow knew full well just how many more he was going to ask. He wouldn't be her first rodeo. She's had some experience. 

"You'll learn soon enough." Willow assured. She turned and pointed at the upcoming den, "That's enough talk about the future for the moment, instead, look, we're here already. That's your brother at the entrance, right?" 

Slash perked up and noticed that they indeed had made it to his camp, and ahead sat the entrance to his den. Standing in front was the large blue figure of his brother, Fang. The pup's eyes narrowed as he noticed that his brother wasn't alone. Standing near him were three Demonic Wolves; it was impossible not to guess who they were - the three sisters. He scowled staring at the one speaking to his brother, a snowy white beauty who exuded a sense of confidence. She stood tall and bold before Fang, her two lesser sisters keeping behind her with their heads lowered. Indeed, Slash got a nasty feeling from the white she-wolf. He only hoped his brother would recognize that disgusting aura floating about. 

It seemed she was doing most, if not all of the talking, keeping Fang's attention isolated on her and only her. She stopped the moment she noticed Slash and Willow approaching and stepped away from Fang with an uneasy look on her face, mixed with a little annoyance. Fang seemed to notice her discomfort and pivoted, spotting the two. Fang visibly flinched at the sight of Willow, but he relaxed instantly, although his eyebrows were knit. 

"Umm, Slash? Who is this?" Fang asked. 

Slash opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by Willow before he could even suck in a breath. "My name's Willow. I just met your brother just now down by the creek. The details leading up to our meeting? Well, I'd say they're not particularly important." She bowed to him all the while preserving eye contact, her eyes twinkling in a manner that suggested attempted bewitchment. "You must be Slash's older brother Fang, right? Might I request something from you?" 

Willows line of sight flicked from Fang to the sisters, her eyes scanning them and then honing in on the eldest of the girls. She seemed wholly unconcerned by Willow, yet her two younger sisters seemed to be preoccupied whispering odd nothings to one another. The lesser sisters were clearly disturbed by Willow's presence. In what way, she didn't really know.

"I ... yes it's okay to ask. Is there something you need from us?" Fang asked, wary. Willow didn't respond immediately, instead continuing her silent examination of the triplets. Her ear twitched as they kept whispering, finally she leered at the two and her tail flicked into an erect position with hackles raising, silencing the girls instantly as they startled. Once again, the dominant sister looked completely unconcerned with Willow. Instead, she met Willow's eyes for a sharp moment. her own brown ones giving nothing away of her thoughts. She finally pulled away to bare her fangs at her sisters, essentially scolding them for their behavior in front of Willow. 

"Willow?" Fang cautioned. He looked between her and the girls, perturbed. 

"... My bad." She ceased her bow and carried on, "I wanted to know if you were alright with me adopting your brother into my pack? I'd like to rear him as my pupil. You know, take him under my wing." To prove her point, she summoned her wings and paced one overtop the pup's head, nearly flattening him with its weight. Willow chuckled and dusted him with the large feathers. "We're a Sin Scavenger pack that lives under Taavet's guidance. I can assure you he'll be well taken care of, not to mention trained in combat to a fine degree." 

"Sin Scavenger pack? You mean, demons who hunt Sin Lions for a living? But … isn't that essentially a religion to you people? In a way a lifestyle?" Fang's shock didn't decrease in the least. This little brother of his just returned home with a stranger in tow only an hour after throwing a fit about forming a pack and now he's asking to join this woman's pack? Everything was just a pinch overwhelming for his brain. A few different cords had been struck, the strings tangled to become thick yarn. This boy didn't have an ounce of logic, did he? Still, he had the sense of himself to think of the situation at hand. A Sin Scavenger was in their woods? That had to mean a Sin Lion was around. With how relaxed she was, it was possible she had already taken care of it. 

Fang's eyes zeroed in on the puncture wounds on his brother's pack, and all the puzzle pieces finally fell into place. This was built off admiration, perhaps? She must have saved him from the beast's attack. He only looked away to examine the demoness more closely, catching her nodding. He narrowed his eyes at her as she spoke up. 

"It might be a way of life, but like all religions, new members are always welcomed. With how many sinners there are in this world, isn't it for the best that we have as many Scavengers as possible to protect the innocent? To many, they're simply beasts, and not everyone is knowledgeable about them to the degree we are. Unless you observe a more experienced fighter in action, most don't even realize there's only one way to kill a Sin Lion. As such, it's important to have as many Scavengers as possible to prevent any accidents from occurring, and to keep the masses safe." 

He glanced from her face to her chest as she spoke, staring keenly at the center where her heart was. _'No clouds...'_

"But, can you ensure his safety?" Fang prodded. Slash whimpered at the insinuations. Couldn't his brother trust him at all?

Willow hummed and gave Fang a knowing look. "Well, to a degree. The future is uncertain if I'm honest. I just know that as long as he stays by my side he'll have my protection. Consider his life my utmost priority; that's by no means an exaggeration." 

"You swear?" 

"Swear on my soul. Will do seven serenades should the darkness creep across the moon." Willow placed a paw firmly over her heart and bowed her head to him, tail now lowered. "I'll take care of him best I can."

Fang snorted at her usage of the Seven Serenade swear, but he couldn't stop himself from grinning. No matter how hard he looked, it was all beautiful clear skies for as far as one could see. "Okay, you've won me over. I'll bless this request of yours. And I will hold you to that swear. I'm aware the future is uncertain but it'll be alright. I have faith in you, Willow." 

Willow sneered at his wording and stood straight, her chest puffed out, "You got yourself a deal." 

"So I can go?!" Slash blurted. He looked up at his brother with a slack jaw, dragging himself from under Willow's wing. Fang stared back down at this worrisome brother of his and relaxed his tense body. Slash may have been small and immature, but he was obedient and he was never wrong when he put his trust in somebody. If he trusted Willow, then there really was no fighting him on it. Despite the dangers of a Sin Scavenger pack's training and lifestyle, he knew Mia was smiling upon the boy. The Western Goddess would likewise be watching over Slash as he took up her doctrine. In the end, if Slash couldn't even fight against a simple Sin Lion by the time he's an adult, there would be no way he'd survive on Mirror. It was a risk they'd all have to take, and an auspicious risk at that. 

If history were to repeat itself, Sin Lions were the least of their concerns. 

Fang sighed. "You can go, but on several conditions! Only when you agree can you travel with Willow." Slash nearly leapt as he heard the first signs of his new path opening up. The pup's emerald eyes glittered as he stared up at his sibling, who couldn't bear to meet those sparkling jewels. Before the little spitfire could ask what those conditions were, Fang raised a claw spat out, "The first condition is that you be on your absolute best behavior! Don't cause go causing trouble for Willow." He raised a second claw. "The second condition is that you keep me updated. Use your telepathy to keep in contact, okay? I want to know how you're doing sometimes, and that you're alive." He raised another claw. "The third condition is that you don't give up. Doesn't matter how hard it gets, if you're going to do this you're going to give it your all. Got it? I know my brother's no quitter!" 

"Heh, then do you want to bet your teeth on my success?" Slash chimed. Fang's face fell and he pressed his lips into a thin line. "If I become a powerful fighter, you have to give me your teeth!" 

"What?! No way! Leave my teeth alone that's gross, Slash." 

"No it ain't!" he paused and began fidgeting in place. Watching him, Fang could only sigh. "You're really sure it's okay? You're not going to change your mind?" When Fang shook his head, Slash let out a shriek and bounded over to Willow. He leapt onto her wing and rolled off with a giggle. As if anyone could turn down that bundle of fire ... he acted as if he hadn't a single worry. 

Willow shook Slash from her wings and drew them back to her sides to prevent a certain excited pup from hopping all over them. "Well, that wasn't so hard now was it?" Slash shook his head and scrambled off the ground. 

Fang peered back at the girls and shrugged. "Seems like it's just us."

The white she-wolf who was poking at the ground flicked her bushy tail, forcing her sisters to step back. She began daintily stepping closer, rubbing against Fang's side and switching her blank face for a sweeter expression, one tinged with a demureness that couldn't easily be applied to her. She cleared her throat and tapped her hind paw on the ground, tapping her claws noisily. This caught everyone's attention. "May I ask you something, miss Willow?" 

"A question?" Willow frowned and raised her head. The snowy female lowered her own head and leaned closer to Fang as she looked up at Willow. This ... her behavior was different from earlier. 

"Is it alright to know the name of your pack? You're taking Fang's precious little brother away, and I know how terrible it can be to not have any clue where your sibling is..." she glanced back at her sisters. "Don't mind me, I really mean no harm with this question! I just thought Fang would be more comfortable knowing just where his sibling was." She peeked at Fang. "Right?" 

"Umm, I guess? But, if they're a Sin Scavenger pack I'm sure I'll run into him again anyway. They do a ton of traveling, not to mention they're essentially mercenaries." 

Willow raised an eyebrow, "Well, I don't think you understand what a mercenary is. The definition is the complete opposite of what we do." She turned her attention to the white female, her eyes narrowing into a keen glare. "As for you, that'll be classified information. Both our name and location are reserved for allies. You need to earn it. You, as a stranger, are unqualified." Her tail flung back into its erect position, fully displaying an iron will and no willingness for compliance. She refused to humor the girls, she had a hunch that maybe Slash's hunch was more than just a bit of sibling paranoia. The two lesser sisters weren't the issue, instead the dominant of the trio was the suspicious ones. The other two seemed properly confused and a bit uneasy. 

Finally, the snowy one gave a huff and retreated behind Fang, "I was only asking for Fang's sake, but that's fair. It's fine. It's of no concern to me either way." Her ears twisted as Willow tilted her head, their gazes meeting for only a moment longer before the white female pulled her eyes away, returning to her sisters. "Well, we shouldn't be keeping you waiting. I'm sure you have things to do." 

With a snort, Willow finally stopped harassing the poor girl. She licked her teeth and bowed to Fang, this time much briefer. "I hope you're successful in your endeavors, Fang. We'll be off now." Willow spun on her heels and took the first steps to leave before she stopped at a surprised noise from Fang. 

"Wait you're leaving right this moment?" He asked, bewildered. They had only just begun talking and she was already leaving. Despite all the questions in his mind and everything he'd like to know, he couldn't bring himself to pull those questions out. Instead, he gaped at her like a mindless idiot. 

"Well, I'm sorry but that would be the case. We have an annual ceremony at the end of every summer. It's important that the whole pack is present, so..." she made a vague gesture with her paw and then spun back around and nodded for Slash to follow her. "Well, you know how it is, right?"

"... Yes." Was all he could say. The brothers watched as Willow's figure glowed with a dark aura, her summoned wings flickering out of existence wreathed in black mist. Slash watched as Willow cleared herself of the area, not bothering to rush the pup as she strolled. He closed his eyes and grinned wide, then whipped around and beamed at his brother. 

"Just you wait. Next time we see each other, I'll be unrecognizable! That's how amazing I'll be!" Slash promised. With that, he turned and readied himself to sprint after Willow. 

"Wait, Slash!" Fang called. Slash skidded to a halt mid-dash and peeked back at Fang. He didn't speak for a moment, the two just meeting each other's gaze in silence. It seemed Fang was enjoying the little bit of time he had left with this rambunctious child before he left and they would be separated for who knew how long. "Are you really sure about this? That this is the path you want to walk?" 

Slash's face softened. "Of course I'm sure. I know what I want, and I'm sure you know what you want, too." The pup bolted away not even a second later, flying to Willow's side and soon sinking beyond where Fang's eyes could heed them. Six became four in a moment's passing.

A meek smile was on Fang's face as he held his gaze on that horizon; he pulled himself away by force, returning his focus to the three girls he was left with. "Well, girls? Do you think he'll really make it out there?" 

The snowy sister stepped up to him and brushed her shoulder against his, looking up at him with soft eyes, "You really care about him. Are you sure it's alright to let him go like this? Especially with a suspicious woman you hardly know?" 

Fang nearly scoffed, just barely restraining himself. "Suspicious? You jest?" He turned and gave the female a hard look. "Aren't you just a suspicious, appearing out of nowhere just as she did? Remember that this is our first meeting, Riley. I'm taking a chance here." 

Riley flinched at his words and backed away from him as if burned. She quickly regained her calm and tilted her head in silent questioning. What was he getting at here? "Are you sure, though? With us he would have your protection, with her he'd be all alone and who knows what sorts of things she could do to him. As a Sin Scavenger, she's more than capable of ripping him to shreds." 

"No, there's nothing to worry about. She doesn't have any clouds, not to mention she worships Taavet. Lying is forbidden in her religion, so everything she spoke was complete truth. She's a pure soul, unlike you." 

"Clouds? Pure? What are you talking about?" 

Fang glanced at her with a slight menace in his eyes. "I can see lies. When I look at someone's chest, their lies are depicted as a sky with clouds, and Willow's sky hadn't a single cloud - not even the smallest one. She's never lied once in her entire life. You girls on the other hand..." he glanced down at Riley's chest, his eyes settling where he knew her heart was thudding away. He grimaced, "...You have a storm forming in your heart; not a speck of blue to be seen. You've spent most of your life lying away, deceiving others. That's not a good way of getting me to trust you." He said. 

"You ... can see lies?" Riley swallowed thickly and moved to stand in front of her sisters. Her brows raised as she watched him lift his head to the sky, standing there still, silent. Her mouth curled down and she finally relaxed after the initial spook. "You know, most people lie. Everyone spent their lives sputtering out little white lies. Do the clouds have sizes that represent severity? Is there a measure of severity?" 

"There's no measure, but they do collect. I can't judge you just on the fact that you've lied a lot, but I'm not taking any chances. I'm not risking my brother's safety on top of my own for a hunch. That doesn't mean I won't trust you, though. It just means you can't fool me." 

"Riddle me this, Fang. How can someone go their whole life without lying?" Riley asked, her hackles raised. There was no way that Willow had gone her whole life without lying. Everyone lied about something, even blaming their siblings for their own mistakes. To be that pure, that good ... it was infuriatingly unthinkable! There was no way there was a woman better than her, to begin with. 

But in their world, the unthinkable wasn't impossible. Deep down, they all knew that. 

Fang knew that she knew that, and they all knew what his response would be. He clicked his tongue and gave her a sickeningly sweet smile. 

"The world is full of surprises, isn't it?" 


	4. Auspicious Calamity - 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated. There's no beta, so drill into me!  
> ______________________________________________________________________

_PK - Summer, 114, 0000_

* * *

"Hey! Why are we going back to where I met you?" Slash called, chasing after the trotting she-wolf. Nibbling his tongue he looked up at the familiar scenery. The young trees full of late summer color, greens fading into the warm yellows and reds fall was known for. One day the forest would look beautiful, then bare as the trees slept. He began dragging his paws and his claws ticked and tapped against all of the pebbles they hit. 

Willow glanced back and offered a smile, "Your first lesson," she said. Slash returned her a puzzled look and carried on after her, deciding not to think too much of her words. They were going to see the Sin Lion corpse, that's all he got from that. Maybe to study anatomy? To teach him their weak spot? His thoughts were broken by the mumbles of his mentor. "Honestly, I never thought that there'd be such an auspicious calamity." She chuckled coolly and turned to Slash. "Tell me, little one, how much do you already know about Sin Lions?" 

"Umm. I know that Sin Lions are made from bad energy, like death and anger and jealousy." He paused and pulled back his lips. Then, words flowed. "Sin Lions are the physical form of all the world's sin. That's why they're named Sin Lions. Because they eat up our sins and use it to hurt us. They're kind of like the living form of the saying 'Your sins will catch up with you'. They're born in areas that suffer a lot of bad energy and are attracted to unhappy people." He spoke lightly, hoping not to disappoint her. Coming to a realization he stopped walking and slouched. "That's why I was attacked. It wasn't like I was mad at my brother, but..." 

He heard the loud pattering of Willow's paws as she pranced in a circle. "Correct! Those are the basics, indeed," she chirped. "Wringer! When a Sin Lion dies, where do you think that negative energy goes? If it's enough to form a Sin Lion to begin with, does killing it really solve the problem?" 

Slash was taken aback by the question. He stood there in silence trying to process it, then even longer he tried to think of an answer worth the effort. "They ... vanish?" he mumbled, uncertain. The question perplexed him no matter how he thought of it. Does the issue of sins really remain even after the death of the Sin Lion? 

Willow shook her head. "As soon as a Sin Lion is born, their energy is too great. The land cannot banish the dark power regardless of its form so it must be stored away somehow. Be it a lion or another thing entirely," she explained. Slash gave a simple 'oh' and he watched as she spun and kept walking. "That's why we're headed back. That'll be your first lesson, always keep it in mind. Once slain, a Sin Lion leaves behind all of the sinful energy it collected through its life in a new harmless form. We need to collect it as soon as possible." 

"Wow ... being a Sin Scavenger sounds like a lot of work." Slash said. Willow just grinned and led him back to the battleground, finally. 

Upon reaching the now peaceful land, Slash's jaw dropped. The corpse was gone. Nothing left! Neither blood nor skin nor bone. Willow brushed her tail over his muzzle, urging him to close his mouth. Then, the two padded over to the location of the death. The pup kept looking back forth for the body but as expected, didn't see a scrap of the beast anywhere. It was difficult to believe it vanished so abruptly. 

Knowing what he would ask, Willow spat out her answer. "They're not real things. Sin Lions will transform into a new smaller form once their core, or their brain as some would say, is broken. They don't even have organs aside from their lungs and brain."

Slash sat down feeling a little less overwhelmed, but a little more confused. He hoped he would get used to this; having information dumped into his little head. He watched as she sniffed the ground for whatever object the Sin Lion dissolved into and perked up as she shot upright.

"Here!" she batted a small black orb over to Slash, who flinched at the motion. His eyes fell to the small gemstone and he examined it closely, even seeing his warped reflection on the dark surface. 

Willow plopped down near him and her eyes began to glow black, hiding the silver of her iris behind a faint sheet of darkness. The little gemstone drifted up from the ground and hovered back to Willow. Before he could speak, his silent query was answered. "It's called a 'Stained Pearl'. They're left behind following a Sin Lion's death," she said, using her telekinesis she rotated the small object and nodded in satisfaction. She then brought the stone into the chest pouch of her dark brown vest. The pouch closed with a click of the button. 

Slash's eyes dulled as the gem was put away, his intrigue having been sullied by her sudden actions. Willow leaned and stretched her legs out, a giddy expression on her face. She bounced back to life and beamed at her pupil. "Welp, it's time to head home now! It's time for you to say goodbye to these woods. You won't be returning for a while," she said. She began to strut away, her tail swaying back and forth behind her. Slash's emerald eyes followed her briefly before he turned back and up at the trees. 

His home was a young forest, every tree planted no more than ten years ago. They were so young and brave, just as he would be. He gave his territory a few last looks, feeling a bit regretful. These woods would become forlorn without him and his brother. At least that's what he liked to think. He flexed his toes and felt the soil sliding between and under his claws. Taking a last breath of this home, he sprang up and made a break for his mentor's side. 

It was better not to look back. It'd make him guilty and he didn't want to feel that emotion. It was too heavy like a stone had been tied to his heart, and whoever tied the two together just sneered as the heart tried to stay afloat with this added weight. 

Slash peeked at Willow from the corner of his eye and watched her fearless steps and her bold grin. Maybe, just maybe, his life was about to get interesting. 

  
  


The mentor and the student continued to hike until the soft orange of sunset crept into the sky; the sun drifting off behind them and dragging their shadows. They had been walking nonstop for an hour or two, and he was holding back from complaining about sore paws. He huffed and swallowed his whine and kept trailing the adult's steps. His eyelids fluttered and he began to pass the time by taking in the scenery and tasting the heavy air. 

"Almost to the portal," Willow called in a somewhat sing-song voice. She had overtaken her pupil in their hike as she had longer legs and more energy than the small pup. 

"Portal?" 

"Yes, portal. Our territory is located across the ocean on West and it'd take months to return by foot, so we use portals instead. We have tons of them hidden all over the planet, at least two in every Zone. Makes travel a breeze," she explained. "There aren't many Sin Scavenger packs as ardent as us, so we frequent numerous locations all over." Slash hastily nodded. Yeah, he got that. He thinks. 

He sprinted to close the distance and returned to pace by her side. He then froze. Willow knew exactly why and a smirk formed upon her lips. 

A loud groan escaped as he saw the rather large hill they had to trudge up. "Awww!" He bucked at the dirt and sent pebbles and dust flying about in a small fit. He ended his tantrum by throwing himself on the ground and covering himself in the newly wrought dirt. With a loud grumble, he flipped onto his stomach and laid there with a rooted clump on his head. 

Willow's shit-eating grin didn't fade one bit. 

She urged him to his feet and they began their ascent. 

Upon aching legs and drooping eyes, Slash climbed the hillside alongside Willow. She comforted him by telling him he'd get used to it but he doubted he even wanted to. His heavy head lifted to take a gander at the lone tree at the summit. An ancient tree with branches stretched out like a hawk's wings. Vines and ivy twisted and hung. Birds of all species perched upon and nestled in the leaves. It seemed dark and looming against the fiery background of the evening sky. 

Looking down to try and dominate his clumsiness, Slash continued to walk as Willow led the way up. They climbed to the base of the majestic tree, it being even more gargantuan than Slash originally thought. They approached an opening in the roots and to a ditch dug beneath the tree forming a large burrow. They crept inside. 

Entering the burrow of tangled roots, Willow's tail signaled for Slash to stop. He stood a bit away from her and tilted his head. She lowered her head and began chanting an incantation in a language Slash didn't know. Once she fell silent, her eyes lifted and she stepped back, a pink slit forming just a step ahead. Slowly, a vibrant pink cyclone of a portal established itself before the duo. The pup stared in wonder at the swirling mass of light with his mind failing to bring any words to describe it. Without a single word, Willow waved for Slash to follow and leapt into the portal, Slash gasping and launching after her. 

Once both were through, the portal dissolved without a trace as if it had never existed. 

Two paws, then four. He landed firmly inside the portal and cracked open an eye, peeking inside. Both eyes flew wide as they could, his head whipping around in a sudden motion. His whole body stiffened and his heart pulsed in his chest. A world of chromatic light drowned his eyes pressuring him to squeeze them shut just to avoid overstimulation. His mind became overwhelmed by the abrupt change in scenery, he didn't think that he would be in a gateway, somewhere. Instead, he was expecting to pop out at their destination. The swiftly flowing colors raced past him as he pushed himself forward, following Willow's steps and her voice tentatively. 

He knit his brows and grit his teeth, forcing his eyes to stay open despite drowning in a river of radiance. Willow called to him over her shoulder, "We're almost there, just hang on." With that, he strode after her with some more desperation, huddling up to her shoulder so he wouldn't get separated. 

"Is ... it possible to get lost in here? Is it a one-way trip or can you end up anywhere?" he asked, anxiety pouring from his trembling voice. Large eyes darted about, searching for any fractures or threats. The whole portal was too messy for him to even begin to comprehend. 

"Anywhere. This is an entire dimension of interconnecting pathways, and so long as you've got a vague idea of where you want to go you won't get lost. To make things easier we chant the name of the Zone we want to visit so the path doesn't diverge upon loss of concentration," she said. Willow glanced at the fretful pup and his quivering body and it made her chest curl. "We'll be fine. This place can't hurt us."

Despite her promise, he couldn't shake his apprehension. Trying to calm him, she presented a carefree smile, a tail wag, and lightened her steps. With a prance, she continued before her ears pricked up and her attention was reestablished. Slash watched her two abrupt changes in attitude and followed her line of sight to a floating pink scratch in the portal just ahead of them. 

"What's that?" It looked like the entrance to the portal. Oh, well on that thought his question was pretty useless. 

"Our destination!" she chirped. She raced forward, the pink tear expanded and formed a cyclone to let her advance. Willow hopped through the exit; Slash came close behind. 

  
  


When he opened his eyes this time, he was met with a gorgeous meadow, a blue afternoon sky, and a sudden hot spell dancing on his back. The portal snapped shut behind him but he hardly noticed the faded sensation. Slash scrunched his nose up at the brisk change in temperature, unable to adjust to the newfound heat of the meadow. The dirt beneath his paws held no moisture and the grass tangled around his toes offered no escape. Scowling, he stared up at the clear blue sky and gave Willow a questioning look. 

To him was a knowing one. "Welcome to West! This is Puella, one of the mountainous regions in the western continent. Don't worry I'll be your guide." Willow once again waved for him to follow her. "Come, we'll talk in a better place. I bet this transition is a bit intense." 

The two walked westward to a larger tree with nice shading and sat beneath, Slash welcoming the coolness of the darkened land. He let his body relax as he dropped his weight against the trunk. "Hah ... so why is it still day here?" he asked, voice breathy. 

"Because it's West. In Central, it's sunset, while in East, it's night. The sun sets to the west meaning that it'll be daytime here while it's sunset back where you lived. Though it's well past noon so we'll be approaching sunset pretty soon. Couple hours give or take." Willow was pretty lazy with her answer, going on a bit of a tangent. But it was easy to understand so Slash didn't mind the information. It was less to take in than the stuff about the portal or the Sin Lion. He'd had to learn everything eventually anyway. Better to start early. He gave a hum and closed his eyes trying to rest from his exhausting journey. For a small child, it was arduous to walk for several hours. His paws hurt and his energy was nonexistent. 

Willow seemed to pick up on this and offered to let him rest for a short while, giving him little bits of casual information while he regained his strength. "You know this vest of mine? It's fireproof. All Sin Scavengers have a special vest or pack they carry with them to hold Stained Pearls in. You'll get one once you graduate upon your rite of passage. That'll be on your sixth birthday. You're only about three seasons old right now so it's far away so don't worry about it now. Oh, and I have two siblings in the pack. An older sister and an older brother. You'll meet both pretty soon." 

"They're important?" he asked lazily. 

"Very," she beamed. Glancing back at the sky, she decided he had enough rest and nuzzled him to sit back up. "Something more important now. Be attentive." Slash's mind tensed at the notion and he tugged the corners of his lips, making his mouth a straight line. "This pack is mostly an uncover group, while we can share our name, we silence ourselves before dubious folks. Also, there's a trial you must undergo to become an official Sin Scavenger trainee. You better be ready for it." 

This woman sure did talk a lot. "Yes, Willow..." 

The two got up and sauntered through the sunny meadow to the forest ahead. Or, jungle, actually. Slash's eyes kept going up and up as they neared the trees. They rose well beyond one hundred feet into the sky, touching the God's Realm with their outstretched branches. 

She kept talking as they walked. "See this meadow we're in? These are known as the Meadowlands. Simple name, simple place. The woodland ahead of us is called the Pinwood Garden. It's the protective shield of the Womb." 

"The Womb?" Slash echoed. Willow nodded. He'd see. 

"The Meadowland is three miles wide from the edge of Pinwood Garden to the edge of the mountain range." She nodded to the mountains in the distance. "Those mountains extend for twenty miles outwards and form a protective ring around the meadow and in extension the Pinwood Garden, which in turn protects the Womb. The Womb itself is pretty hazardous so we're in a pretty safe location I'd say. Intruders and invasions are a dream." 

"Or a nightmare if the enemy is that powerful," Slash said. Willow hummed in agreement but she didn't seem convinced that was possible. Apparently, they had numerous countermeasures planned in case someone made it through all of their defenses. At least that's what he'd assume. She was cocky enough that it wasn't hard to guess. 

The two walked through the trees into the jungle, a tall canopy casting shadows, barely allowing light to reach the ground below. The soil was moist, and underbrush was thick to a point he could hardly see where he was stepping. Every time he lowered his paw it was swallowed by ferns or something. He honestly didn't know what half these plants were so, for now, they were all ferns. 

The dense jungle-like terrain was dark, all light being forbidden by the thick foliage far above. Any sunlight that cascaded down was nothing but a dreamy beam that illuminated clumps of desperate plants thirsty for the sustenance. The trees that extended well into the sky made the pup feel so insignificant, and almost suffocating with their presence alone. Vines hung from the branches and birds of all kinds sang their echoing songs for the animals below. 

Hopping up and down were squirrels, monkeys, and more. His face softened at the sight of such a lively world. 

From the woods to the portal to the meadow to the jungle, it felt as though Slash had walked through four different worlds all within three hours. He knew he had never left the planet but sweet Mia above sure did it. Willow stopped him from walking forward any longer and sneered. Slash tilted his head and stepped up as she moved out of the way. He'd been too distracted by the trees to notice where they had gone. 

He moved to the edge of a sloping cliff, and his soul went ablaze. Face glowing and eyes sparkling. He staggered at the sight of a massive sinkhole penetrating deep into the ground. As far down as he could see there were trees of all kinds circling that steep drop into the earth. Fog filled the steep drop and blocked his view from anything further; the contents, or even how deep it went was a mystery. From the sky, one wouldn't even be able to tell the thing was there. 

He had to blink himself out of the momentary trance. Only two words could slip through his wonder. "Holy hell..." 

Slash peered down the slope and into the dense trees below, wondering how much it might hurt to fall. Unwilling to slip, he clutched the ground with all his remaining strength. Hearing a strange honk, he lifted his gaze to meet a flock of birds gliding gracefully through the fog below, his tension easing. They resembled swans, they were so white and beautiful. Their calls echoed faintly throughout the impression. Crouching at the edge, he was content just to watch the swans gracing the swirling mist below. 

Willow blinked and observed his unveiled smile. "This is the Womb," she said, staring down into the sinkhole. "Within that sinkhole is where the Sapphire pack resides. This place will be your new home." 

"This?!" He sprung to his paws and was pitiful at hiding his horror. "We have to go down there?" 

Willow merely glanced at him. She then leaped into the sinkhole without any indication of hesitation. Slash stared in horror as the she-wolf disappeared into the fog. He heard her call up to him, but the words didn't ease him one bit. "I expect you at the bottom! Consider this your first trial. If you can't even do that then what's the point of training you? If you can't climb down then you don't even deserve to be a part of this pack." 

And with that, there was silence. 

His jaw dropped and he went with a thud to the ground. Does this ever end? First, he has to walk two hours to the portal, then half a mile through the Meadowlands, then through Pinwood Garden, and _now_ he has to descend into a sinkhole a mile wide?! She'll kill him from exhaustion long before he even gets a chance to train! 

"..."

What was he whining about? She said to consider it a test, a _trial_. And a trial is a trial. One either passes or fails. How could he ever look Fang in the eye if he couldn't even do this much? He took a deep breath, stood up, and shook all negative thoughts out of his head. 

"Okay!" 

He pushed on and slipped down the slope into the trees below, and skittered and zigzagged through to the cavity in the center. He wouldn't let himself be useless. He'll prove he's worthy of becoming her student. 

_______

From within the fog, the obscured she-wolf glared with keen eyes at the persistent child. She watched him like a hawk keened its prey. Willow let her teeth show in a toothy sneer and she vanished into a hole. _‘Just so you know, wings are useless here. Your judgment is your best friend. Always keep that in mind, Slash.’_


	5. Auspicious Calamity - 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly welcomed!   
> ___________________________________________________________________________________________

_PK - Summer, 114, 0000_

* * *

Slash stood at the brink of the sinkhole, looking down thoughtfully, examining the steep slopes below. It was rocky, uneven, and had many thin trees sprouting from within. The soil was loose and could give way at any time. He began to contemplate his route if he were to climb down. "This...." he murmured. 

He slowly raised himself up from the ground. His pupils contracted and he swallowed. Carefully he slid himself off the edge and onto the slope below. Holding his breath, the little wolf tracked down the slope backward and stopped on a rock jutting out from the cliffside. Exhaling, he sat on the rock, looking up at the mere ten feet that have descended. "How deep is this," he fretted to himself. Shaking his head and standing back up, Slash gave himself a brief moment for advice - " _Don't be a brat, just go!"_

The young pup once again began to descend cautiously. The sinkhole just went deeper and deeper, becoming darker and darker. Continuing to hike down, a single misplaced paw slipped on the soil causing Slash to slide down a few feet without grip, startling him in the process. Letting out a sigh of relief once he regained stability, a dislodged rock below slid out of its spot and began to tumble down into the dark pit. Slash silently watched the rock fall as it became a mere shadow in the thickening fog. The air within the sinkhole was very humid, seeming as though there was water down at the very bottom. The humidity made him feel gross.

Slash glanced away from the cliffside and the sight astounded him. 

Being too focused on the wall and climbing down, the wolf failed to spot floating stones scattered behind him. Looking down, Slash saw as many, _many_ stones made their way down deep into the sinkhole. Each one was glowing softly to indicate its position, as well as illuminating those near itself. They had flat tops that could be stood on and jagged bottoms with vines wrapped around. That's when Slash spotted the silhouette of a lone wolf among the stones. 

The mysterious wolf plunged down from stone to stone effortlessly and gracefully, making its way down into the unknown territory. The thick fog allowed the figure to vanish. Slash felt as though he had seen a ghost or a sort of illusion; something moving that gracefully couldn't have been real. Looking around he caught sight of a way to get to the floating stones. A large, dead tree beside him had just enough length left to allow transport to move onto the stones. 

Floating in the perfect spot was a stone just close enough that a strong bound could make it. Moving ever so carefully, Slash worked his way over to the dead tree's visible roots. Weaving himself between the dried wood, he brought himself up onto the tree's trunk. He balanced himself and stepped over to the extremity, his big emerald eyes staring straight at the floating stones. He inched forward as much as he could on the rough lumber, reaching out with his paw in an attempt to step onto the stone, but without luck. "A bound it is," he murmured to himself. 

Slash backed himself up and focused his eyes on the floating stone ahead - his goal. He brought strength down to his legs through his demonic blood and shot himself forward. Pushing off the dead tree and launching himself towards the stone, Slash was able to make it to the stone with plenty of momentum to spare. He had to dig his claws into the ground to stop himself from tumbling forward. Pausing, the wolf closed his eyes and let out a sigh. Shaking himself off of dirt and water droplets caused by the humidity, the pup stood up straight on the platform and stepped towards the brink. Looming over the edge, Slash studied the stones down below and looked out for a path. Looking back up towards the sky, he found a simple, large dot contained by the sinkhole walls. ' _How much deeper does this thing go?!'_

Slash continued down the sinkhole by leaping stone to stone, heading downward just as he had seen the lone wolf do. After exercising his legs for a good while, the young wolf finally saw ground. Overwhelmed by his almost finished and successful journey, he quickly bounded down to the stone closest to the ground. Crouching at the edge, he glanced around at his surroundings. Underneath him was an islet centered in a massive swamp that spread out throughout the bottom of the sinkhole. 

The swamp was full of floating yellow stones and decayed leaves. The water was so murky and it was so dark he couldn't even be spared a reflection from the water. His brow twitched and he lost interest in the water, instead watching the yellow stones that bobbed in the filthy liquid. 

"Well look who finally decided to join us!" A familiar voice called. Slash flinched and stood on the floating stone; he peered ahead, his eyes following the thin strip of land leading from the swamp islet over to a yawning mouth leading into a tunnel. Just outside the tunnel were two wolves, one standing with a stiff tail and the other sitting with a hunched back and a lowered head. It was clear which was Willow. "Be careful not to step into the mire," she added. 

Slash leapt off the floating stone and pawed the ground. Seeing it was safe, he trod across the strip of land away from the islet and to the Sapphire wolves. "Who's that?" he asked. His eyes were glued to the mysterious male by Willow's side, wary of possible hostility. 

"This guy? His name is Yazhu," she said. Yazhu stood upon the introduction and he bowed his head to Slash in greeting. Slash, though confused, returned the bow. The two rose at the same time making the pup uncomfortable. Yazhu gave Slash an odd look, an eyebrow raised. 

"Did you scout him?" he asked. Willow nodded a bit proud. Yazhu promptly went back to scanning the pup up and down, familiarizing himself with the body of the boy. He stopped as Slash's tail slipped between his legs. If his behavior wasn't enough, Yazhu's pupils were solid white with no sign of color, giving his yellow eyes an eerie ambiance. It just didn't seem normal. There was something off about this guy. "What's your name?" 

"Slash," he said. "Yazhu, are you a Sin Scavenger, too?" 

"In a way." He turned away from the pup and walked off into the cavern with careful, fluid steps, his tail swaying gently behind him. 

Processing his answer took a moment. Shaking himself out of it, he chased after Yazhu. Willow followed the pup closely. "He just arrived from his patrol, he's tired, give him a break." She huffed and watched the young male's back. "Aside from the three of us, the whole pack should be inside the Chamber. Oh, and don't worry about being able to see; our ancestors cast a spell to let us see in the dark." she then trotted ahead, overtaking even Yazhu. Not that he was walking fast. 

Yazhu's eyes followed her before drifting to Slash, who had scampered over to his side. Slash and the young male held eye contact for a while before Slash broke the silence, "Were you the one descending just now?" He wanted to know if Yazhu was the wolf from the floating stones. He really helped him back there. When Yazhu confirmed his suspicions with a nod, he beamed. "You were stunning! I almost thought you were some beautiful spirit of grace." 

Yazhu's mouth opened and closed a few times in quick succession. In the end, he lifted his head to stare at the ceiling without saying anything at all. Either he swallowed the words down or never had anything to say at all. 

Thinking back to Yazhu calling himself a Sin Scavenger, Slash eyed his profile. A slender body with long thin legs, a small chest, smooth, glossy fur, and a long bushy tail. He didn't give the airs of a powerful fighter as Willow did, although his attitude seemed to suit a haughty warrior all the same. Such a slender body. He really was quite striking. His black fur made those creepy eyes stand out, however. 

"How old are you? I'm three seasons. I'll be a year old this winter." 

Yazhu's ears dropped and he whispered, "Three years, three seasons. Four years soon."

"Oh! So we're not that far apart in age! It's nice to meet you, Yazhu. I hope we can be friends." 

Yazhu didn't answer back. They both stayed silent as they continued to walk. Somehow, Slash felt as though Yazhu were trying to keep the speaking to a minimum. Maybe it was just his personality, or maybe he was just unaccepting of Slash. He couldn't really tell. 

Soon enough, the trio came into a large chamber at the end of the tunnel. Slash's eyes widened at the sight. There were a number of wolves scattered about the Chamber. Some were sitting and talking, some were preparing for the ceremony, and others, only a few, paced impatiently. Yazhu tottered into the foggy Chamber, his tail swaying with a little wag as he stopped and turned back to Slash and Willow. 

Slash stumbled into the large room and his head went back and forth, looking at everyone and everything. Sometimes he would make eye contact with a few curious wolves checking him out just as he was. The whole room was lit up faintly, just as the setting sun would bestow. Even in the light fog, he could see the moving bodies of every member. 

He perked up as Willow and Yazhu exchanged some words, with Willow turning and leaving the two boys alone. As she left, their eyes both glowed, Willow's black and Yazhu's orange. The glow faded as Willow left. 

The pair were left alone by the tunnel. 

Slash watched as Yazhu gave in and ambled to his side, resting next to him in that same hunched over posture. For someone so beautiful he sure did sit weird. 

"What do you think?" Yazhu asked in a low voice. Slash's ears twitched picking up the question and he glanced back at the Chamber. 

"It's amazing ... I've never seen anything like this before," he said, his voice breathy. His eyes went up, and Yazhu's followed. The ceiling featured an ancient mural of a beautiful cloudy noon sky. The sun was in the center of the oval painting, its rays extending a life-bearing hand to all below. The colors were faded and the paint chipped, but it was magnificent nonetheless. Upon the ground was moss and even grass, and along the walls across from the tunnel, a massive boulder and two lurching trees sat firm. Near the walls to the east and west of the tunnel were shrubs, some with flowers and others plain. 

"How is this possible?" he said, pointing to the plants. "They..." 

"Plant Manipulators. They the ability to manipulate plant life, and can transfer as much energy to them as they need to thrive down here," Yazhu said, clawing the moss underfoot. "You'll learn. Everything will make sense eventually." 

Slash's head tilted to the side. Had he misjudged him? Yazhu was trying to reassure him, but the avoiding eye contact thing made it a bit harder. Perhaps he's just shy like Slash thought. 

His thoughts were cut short as Yazhu's ears dropped and he sank closer to Slash's side. His tail was coiled around a leg and he kept his head low. "Yazhu?" Slash turned and noticed four wolves approaching, one being Willow. Slash took one glance at Yazhu's anxious face and came to the conclusion the ones with her were bigshots. Were they high ranked members? 

Slash gave a curt nod, not understanding why exactly the wolves around him kept doing this. It's probably how one's supposed to greet others but really neither Blue nor Fang taught him much in ways of manners. Socialization was hard, okay? 

Willow chuckled at Slash's nod and she gave one of her own, and then bowed to Yazhu. With that, she stepped out of the way and allowed a dark-furred female to step forward. The female bowed to Slash with her tail wagging in the air, looking more like a playful puppy than a powerful Sin Scavenger. It seemed to be a pattern here. Despite her playful manner, Yazhu made haste to return her bow and urged Slash to do the same. So he did. 

"Good to see you made it back in one piece, Yazhu," she chimed. The youth lowered his head and gave an ear flick of a response. The female giggled and turned her attention to Slash. Plopping down, she introduced herself. "Hello there. My name is Gwendolen, I'm the alpha female of Sapphire. It's a pleasure to meet you, Slash." 

The pup licked his lips. "Uh, yeah. You too." 

Gwendolen slid her tail across the ground and a gray male stepped forward, his eyes filled with ice as opposed to the female's warmth. "Willow informed me she brought you here as a new recruit. Apologies for the abruptness of this, but you'll be taking a specialized test tomorrow morning to authenticate yourself as a Sin Scavenger in training. After that, we'll formally welcome you into the pack." He said. His voice was dry and his words didn't mince. Slash swallowed and nodded. With that, the male nodded and stepped back, returning the conversation to Gwendolen. 

The Alpha shrugged and gave the male a dirty look, "You're so cold. Couldn't you be nicer to the kid?" She turned back to Slash. "This is Engin. He's our examiner and will be in charge of your test. The 'test' is a psychological procedure done under somnific conditions. You'll be put into a deep sleep and all sorts of situations will be projected into your mind. How you react to the examination determines whether you're worthy of being a Sin Scavenger or not. It's a pretty big deal." 

"Oh ... wow." Slash gaped at the information dumped for him. "Does everyone in the pack have to take the test then? Isn't that exhausting for him?" 

'Him' was referring to Engin. The male just scoffed at the concern and turned his back on the pup. Slash felt his stomach curl at the notion he was wrong, or even worse, the words he spoke were moronic. He shifted his weight and looked at Gwendolen expectantly. She was choking down a laugh. Was that a good sign? 

"You're all asleep!" she blurted. "It's not tiring in the least, but it makes your body sore." 

"Oh, right." Now he felt dumb. 

The joy in her eyes faded and she turned back to Willow, "Darling, I'm putting you in charge of Cinnamon, okay? She's the only survivor of the last test." Oh, snap. "If Slash survives his own, then you'll be training both." Gwendolen's pale eyes seemed somber, though her face was full of life. 

"Survives?" 

"So only Cinnamon came out of it? Out of six we only have one left," Willow muttered. 

"Five," Gwendolen corrected. She took a deep breath. "Seisyll was scared. He decided on Medic." 

Willow swallowed and she leaned back, peeking at something Slash couldn't see. When her focus returned, she had disappointment painted across her face. She bowed to Gwendolen and murmured an apology. The Alpha returned the bow and nodded to Slash and Yazhu. With that, she left, returning to the mist from which she came. Engin and the unknown male both stood and followed after her. 

Yazhu gave a sigh of relief as they left. "I will never get used to her," he mumbled. Slash blinked and cocked an eyebrow. "Gwendolen is cheerful and all, but she's merciless. Any signs of a threat and she'll butcher you. I watched her decapitate someone. Right in front of me." Yazhu closed his eyes and quivered while remembering his unfortunate experience. 

Slash licked his muzzle, nervous. He shifted his weight from foot to foot before looking up at Yazhu. "Can I ask a question?" Yazhu and Willow both agreed to his request. "Can you, um ... can you die during the test? Gwendolen said 'survives' and you said that there used to be five pups but now there's only this Cinnamon person so I was just ... wondering." 

"Well," Yazhu laid down and urged Slash to do the same. When Willow attempted the same Yazhu whipped her leg with his tail. The she-wolf reeled back and huffed. "Don't worry, I can explain it all. Why don't you go check on your new bundle of fluff?" he said. Willow eyed him in an envious way. 

"Alright." She then proceeded to pad away, becoming yet another moving body within the dense fog. 

Slash looked up expectantly and Yazhu finally felt the weight of being the one doing the explaining. Such brilliant eyes drilling hopeful holes in his head. 

"Okay ... the ceremony will start in a little while when it's sundown. We still have some time to ourselves. Let's talk a bit. Since the test takes place in your dreams, you don't have to worry about being hurt. But, it's another story once the test is over and the final evaluation is cast." He hesitated, which caught Slash's attention. He already knew the answer but listened keenly regardless. "If your results are less than satisfactory, you'll be slaughtered on the spot," he said rather uneasy. 

Slash froze and his jaw tensed. "Engin will kill me?"

Yazhu shook his head. "Engin doesn't ... the test does." the dark male closed his eyes and sighed. "The test isn't about passing or failing so much it is about meeting expectations. There's a rumor that the Rose Orb has a mind of its own and everything about the test is its doing. If the Rose Orb considers you unworthy of a Sin Marking then ... well, it won't hesitate." 

"As gruesome as it is, it's our pack's traditions. The Rose Orb has been used every generation ever since the establishment of the pack over several hundred thousand years ago." 

The gray pup just stared at Yazhu in shock. "And if I back out now?" he asked. 

"You have a few options." That brought a major relief to the pup, but he didn't know what those options included, so he could only hold his breath. "The first option is you live here in Puella your whole life without ever leaving or contacting the outside world. You know the location of the Womb and even how to get down here, they won't let you leave. The next option is taking on another position like Scout, Patrol Wolf, Medic, or something. There's a lot of jobs that need to be done in the pack but most of them are done here in Puella and you'll rarely ever leave. Medic is even riskier than Sin Scavenger. Scouts aren't allowed to engage in battle even if they are allowed to leave Puella." 

As Yazhu went on, Slash's mind spun into a gutter of whether he should walk the ice or not. Becoming a Sin Scavenger would allow him to become a powerful fighter, but was it worth the risk? But if he didn't then not only would he not fight, but he'd be trapped in this Zone forever. At least unless he were a Scout or a Medic, apparently. But he didn't know the requirements for those positions so it was the same as going in blind. 

Slash took a deep breath and Yazhu eyed him as he shifted. The older male had darkness swirling in his eyes, clearly troubled by the topic. Despite that, he was going to pry as much information as he could from this guy. If Slash were to speak to anyone about this, it'd best be him since he succeeded. "What should I expect from the test?" Slash asked. 

"Just situations that test your intelligence, bravery, and judgment," Yazhu said. "There will be numerous situations through the test and it's your job to make decisions and take actions to either escape or solve those problems. There will be pseudo challenges like forcing you to choose a certain object or location as well." Yazhu paused and cocked his head to the side. "Made me choose between like ten different colored vases once. That's the only one I felt confused about." 

Slash chuckled. "Vases? Do you mean those clay jars? That sounds weird." Yazhu shrank away with a nod. If Slash had to guess, Yazhu would be the type to pick a red vase. It just felt appropriate.

Slash watched as Yazhu settled his head between his paws, looking more at ease. Still, the boy didn't smile or laugh. Slash was starting to think he was stuck in stoic mode. There was barely any emotion in his voice. 

"So when am I taking this test again?" 

"Tomorrow morning, at the earliest. Tonight we have the ceremony planned. Though the test often takes over twenty hours to complete, time will flow as water does, so you needn't worry about exhaustion or impatience. You'll be done before you know it," Yazhu said.

"Uh, okay." Slash tilted his head and scowled. "Can you give me any tips?" 

"If I have any advice for you it's to stay calm. Under no circumstances should you panic. Panic will blind even the wise and blur obvious answers. Keep your mind clear," he advised.

Slash blinked a few times and nodded. Yazhu wrinkled his nose and stood up, his sight wandering through the cavern. Then he surveyed the tunnel. "The preparations are going smoothly. We're going to start the ceremony in a short time." 

"Thank you..." But doubt still buzzed around in his head. Mia's shadow loomed over his soul, giving him weakness. Slash stood up, feeling unsteady on his paws from the shock of the fact that he just might end up dead tomorrow. He wobbled a bit while attempting to stand straight. ' _Everything is going to be fine,'_ he assured himself. Closing his eyes, Slash took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. 

Yazhu frowned and stepped closer to the boy. He placed a paw on Slash's chest, "Don't worry. Willow has faith in you." 

"Faith? How is faith going to help me?" 

"Willow has never been wrong before. When I was second-guessing myself, she came up to me and told me that I would pass and become a fine Sin Scavenger one day. I trusted her, and I went into the test with my doubts thrown away." He closed his eyes. Those alien eyes became masked by black. "And I passed." 

"If Willow says you will pass, then that means you will pass. There is no arguing this fact. That woman never utters false comfort." 

Despite wanting to protest, he just nodded and accepted the concept. It was a comfort in a way, and if Yazhu were right, then her words are not ones of misguided solace but true encouragement. Willow believed in him, she wouldn't have chosen him otherwise. 

Chosen him... 

"Yazhu!" The older pup flinched as Slash blurted the the name. Yazhu blinked, taken aback by the shout. They garnered the attention of a few nearby wolves due to that, and Slash sheepishly waved them off. 

"What is it?" he managed. 

"Does this happen a lot?" Slash asked. "I mean, does this pack always go out and take in strangers and test them like this?" Yazhu's face softened as he heard the question. He let his body relax and he let go of held breath. 

"Yes, all the time. Every year, many join. To be honest, I, too, was recruited back when I was three seasons. It was ... scary." He lowered his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry for my earlier behavior, we're not unlike. I didn't mean to be cold."

Slash tilted his head to the side and watched Yazhu with large curious eyes. He was a bit amused by Yazhu's apology, but he also felt sympathy. If the Sin Scavenger test was so lethal, then it's understandable why the elder would refrain from speaking to him. He didn't want to become friends with a deadman. It was the same as speaking with a ghost. He'd like to blame Sapphire's traditions for the potential trauma but really the whole world was like that. 

Slash glanced at all the figures in the Chamber's mist. Just how many friends have all of these demons lost? How many will they continue to lose? 

How many friends will Slash make only to lose? 

"Yazhu." Slash was broken from his thoughts by an unfamiliar voice. 

Both peered over and saw a magnificent white wolf with piercing scarlet eyes standing bold not too far away. The white wolf bowed and greeted Yazhu politely without even glancing at Slash. Of course, the pup didn't mind. It was just enough to see the beautiful male before him. "Did you complete your rounds properly? Come give me a report when you're free," he said. After that, he turned off and resumed helping with the ceremony preparations. 

Yazhu's ear flicked and he bore a complicated expression. "Sorry," he muttered. "Erm, well. When the pack gathers around the unlit bonfire, you know the ceremony is about to begin. You should hurry and sit by me then." 

Slash was distracted, however, and didn't really care much for what Yazhu said. "Who was that guy?" 

"That ... was my mentor." Yazhu swallowed hard, ridden with almost as much anxiety as dealing with Gwendolen. But, he was his mentor so why was he so nervous? Perhaps he wasn't a good person. 

"And here I was thinking you were beautiful. Your mentor is like a god from above." 

"You think so, too? He's probably the strongest demon in the whole pack. Nobody stands a chance against him in battle. His powers too ... I've only seen them once but I dream about them a lot. It's so amazing to watch him fight..." 

Yazhu seemed to have skipped off into dreamland as he continued to mutter things about his mentor not even seeming to remember his orders. Slash gave a half-smile as he dutifully noted this side of Yazhu. Just as he began to drag on about the aura he gave off or something, Slash gave the pleasant reminder, "Aren't you supposed to be reporting to him?" 

Yazhu froze. Like a golem with received commands, he stiffly turned and then trotted off to meet with his mentor. With that, Slash was left alone in the mist. 

He sat alone in the Chamber, taking pleasure in the feel of the moss and the humid air. Once his mind was clear, he let his thoughts wander back and forth, twirling all the things he learned around. The day began as just another summer afternoon, but somehow he ended up in a new pack with the threat of death weighing down on his shoulders. His blatantly simple life abruptly became a complicated web of resolutions. 

His decisions were too sudden, and he hadn't even had the time to figure out what his future held. All he could do was hope for the best. 


	6. Auspicious Calamity - 5

_PK - Summer, 114, 0000_

* * *

As time passed, things got set up and readied for the long night ahead. Slash watched as cleanly cut wooden logs were neatly stacked, surrounding the carelessly stacked wood for the bonfire. A lone wolf was pacing in and out of a fissure with a springy step. Rather, he was actively checking the situation outside. Finally, once the bonfire's containment was set up, he swiftly bolted into the room and remained inside for a while. Slash tilted his head, wondering what the guy was doing. 

The wolf appeared again. He came out dragging a wooden cart filled with a black substance. Slash squinted and inched forward to get a better view of the cart, and once he discovered what was inside, his eyes shot open. Stained Pearls; there seemed to be thousands. 

_'Are those all Stained Pearls?! But they're so small. How did they get a pile that big?'_ The pup stared in awe at the collection, then he gritted his teeth as the Sin Scavengers came forward and began pouring more Stained Pearls into the cart, forming a small hill on top of the already impressive pile. A guy dumped Willow's bag empty into the cart as well as she was preoccupied. _'I wonder what they're gonna do with all of them. It seems like a burden to just have so many...'_

Slash sighed and scanned the area, watching everyone working together to get everything done. He saw Yazhu by his mentor's side; they were managing the others. Upon the large boulder were the relaxed bodies of Gwendolen and the unknown male that was always following her around. If he had to guess, it was probably the alpha male. They were overlooking everything, staring just as attentively at the crowd at Slash was. 

Unexpectedly, the light within the chamber faded, making visibility the same as the night outside. Slash lifted his head in surprise, although none of the wolves setting up seemed to be bothered by it. This sort of thing appeared to be normal, anticipated even. It would probably take him a while to get used to that. Yazhu seemed alright so he didn't worry too much. 

Slash concluded that the dimming of the light meant night had fallen outside; it was just nighttime. He imagined everyone slept in the open, so having it bright as day constantly was too obnoxious. _'I guess it'll take a while to understand pack life, but this is just surreal. I bet this is weird even by pack standards.'_ He stared up at the darkened ceiling, now unable to view the mural. 

He looked back to the crag that Willow had vanished into earlier and spotted her slipping out with another she-wolf close behind. Following the adults were two pups that appeared to be around Slash's size. Most likely that was Cinnamon and Seisyll, the two pups that Gwendolen mentioned. His ears swiveled as he watched the pups prance around the pair of women, then run over and pounce on leftover wood from the bonfire set-up. Willow shouted at them loud enough to elicit a few giggles from the adults. 

_'I should greet them eventually ... I mean, I'll be training alongside one of them.'_ He licked his lips and turned away from the scene, settling to sit near the bonfire while waiting for Yazhu to finish his work. He perked up as Gwendolen hopped down from the boulder and approached. 

"Is everything prepared?" she asked. A male turned to her and nodded. 

"We've given Tezaia the signal, we're good to go," he answered. Gwendolen peeked at the cart and the Stained Pearls inside, her lips curving down. "I know, so many in just a year. It makes me anxious about how many we'd get during an actual war." The male scowled further. "I've been told a lot were miniatures." 

Gwendolen's face turned somber. "I hope it doesn't come to that. We've been granted such a long era of peace that it seems like the balance is so fragile. The Axis worked so hard and I'm worried all her work would go to waste." 

"We'll keep an eye out for anything suspicious, so don't worry Gwen," the male said. 

"Alright, start keeping track of where we send our scavengers the most. Get a detailed report of how many lions and in which areas they appear. The Scout team should take notes as they go, too," Gwendolen said. The male lowered his ears then quietly agreed to her orders. He lowered his head and the female passed by. "Once we grasp a location, tell Saira to send Moki to gather information." His face flashed with confusion, but he didn't dare question her orders. 

Slash grumbled to himself as he lost interest. The she-wolf just padded around issuing checks on every wolf, gathering them up. He perked up again as she moved to Yazhu and Sefu, exchanging some whispers with the snowy wolf. Yazhu seemed to avoid listening. 

Slash turned to see what the alpha male was doing but was both stunned and disappointed to find him still lounging on the boulder. He was watching Gwendolen, but seemed to get tired of even that and slumped down with his head between his paws. _'How lazy!'_

"As always, he doesn't participate," Yazhu complained. He sauntered over and sat next to Slash, muttering under his breath. "You'll get used to his behavior. I'm told he's been lazy since birth." 

"That so?" 

Yazhu nudged Slash and the two stood up; Slash confused by the unexpected urging. Yazhu, along with every other pack member bowed to the unlit bonfire. Slash shuddered and bowed too, perplexed by the action. Seemed like the ceremony was about to commence. 

Gwendolen advanced next to the unlit structure and sat politely in front of all the bowing wolves, her pale eyes surveying each body. "It's time we began," she stated. Those azure eyes had an aura of oppression emanating from them. It was unlike anything Slash had seen. When she nodded, everyone raised from their bow and sat stiffly, their sights glued to the structure behind their alpha. 

Gwendolen glanced toward the cart and a male with large feathered wings stepped up, his eyes glowing a beautiful deep blue. He leapt up to the wooden structure and inhaled sharply. He spat from his mouth a ball of explosive flame, setting the wood inside alight. The winged wolf leapt down and bounded back to the cart, watching as the fire grew.

The darkness slowly became illuminated with a soft flickering glow. The light unfurled long shadows along the earth, and a gentle orange hue painted the pelts of the silent wolves. Those flames, their purpose was lost to Slash, but their beauty in the still night was breathtaking. He brushed Yazhu with his tail and pointed to the bonfire. The older pup shook his head and signaled for Slash to remain quiet. He would see in due time. 

Edging from within a fissure in the wall was an odd wolf with fur like late summer leaves, so dull and dark. His eyes glowed with a purple aura and he crept through the crowd, eyeing every figure he passed. Those eyes held no life, it was almost like a hollow corpse was wandering by, so insipid. Those languid steps made their way to the bonfire and he settled. The green wolf, Tezaia, stared at the bonfire with impassive eyes. His tail went stiff and he waited. 

The winged wolf reactivated his telekinesis, and the pearls all began to glow with the same ocean blue as his aura. The pearls all erupted from the cart and streamed into the air, twirling like a whirlpool as every last one was taken and elevated. He raised a paw and then swung it down, sending all of the Stained Pearls flying into the bonfire, the flames erupting as they entered, sending the inferno roaring. 

The entire pack lowered their heads and began to chant prayers, even Yazhu following them. Slash, not wanting to be left out and feeling it was important, lowered his head as well. They were chanting in the same language he heard Willow use at the tree. He was bewildered, but he noticed that only one wolf remained mute throughout. Tezaia.

Tezaia's ethereal purple eyes glared into the flames, his pupils shrinking to points. He was anticipating. 

The pack went silent once more, their heads still bowed and their eyes shut tight. But, Slash couldn't copy them, there was too much going on and he wanted to know. He remained attentive to Tezaia and the bonfire, patient. 

The flames, they gradually faded from orange to gray, and a cloud of black smoke began to emerge from the flames. The smoke twisted and whirled in the air, billowing and rising into a cloud above the flames. More and more came from the roaring flames, and Slash could hear the numerous Stained Pearls cracking and exploding in the heat. Their energy was being released in the form of that horrible mist. The pup's eyes stared and his muscles sacrificed movement. 

Tezaia's eyes that were once so listless widened and their glow intensified. He gnashed his teeth and stood, all of the furs on his body standing on end and bristling at the darkness. The cloud grew so large it blocked out the sight of the mural and loomed over every living body. Tezaia let out a loud snarl and yowled at the mass of sin. Almost as if it had a mind of its own, it collected itself and loomed over Tezaia and only him, leering at him with unseen eyes. 

It lunged. 

The smoke spiraled around him forming a black twister, swallowing the wolf up. Powerful wind was blasted by the tornado, and finally, as if they had just come back to life, the wolves near the entity took to their feet and sprinted away. Slash rose to his feet and nearly slammed into Yazhu being pushed by the violent vortex. Yazhu used his telekinesis to hold both of them in place, and together they watched the creature. 

The green-furred wolf glared right back at the creature enveloping him, and he broadened his stance, the glow in his eyes intensifying so much that it washed the Chamber in an eerie light. The smoke began to sway and churn, pushed by the raw energy of the wolf. Opening his maw, Tezaia sucked in the trembling smoke. Like a black hole, he took in the sinful energy, consuming everything and making it a part of him. 

Eventually, the whole mass was sucked up by Tezaia, and he closed his mouth with a content hum. He huffed and sat back down, looking more energized now. His eyes dulled back to their original glow, and they shined with a new radiance. 

After a long moment of silence, the pack started up again with their chattering, voices drowned with relief. Yazhu shoved Slash off his shoulder and released his telekinesis. He sighed, finally feeling at ease. Both watched as the pack began bustling, relieving themselves of their stress. 

"I'm so glad it went smoothly!" 

"Yeah, it was pretty big this year, too. I was scared." 

"I hope it's not like this next year. Enough is enough." 

"One day I'm going to have a heart attack ... remind me never to sit near Tezaia's position again." 

Slash tried to listen in on as many conversations as he could, but he didn't hear anything about what had happened. Just that it was an annual occurrence and that the current year was impressive. He turned to Yazhu, nudging him. "What was that?" he asked. He could understand it was the raw form of the sinful energy, but that was his limit.

Yazhu gave him a solemn look. "The purification ceremony. We release all of the sins inside the pearls to get rid of them," he answered. He brought Slash's attention back to Tezaia, "That guy is Tezaia, the purifier. He was blessed with the ability to consume the negative energy released from the Stained Pearls when they're burnt. On the downside, he's mute and rarely leaves the fissure there. He's like a walking enigma, impossible to figure out." 

"Slash!" The boys turned and noticed Willow approaching, the tan-furred she-wolf and her pups close behind. "You boys alright?" Willow gave Slash a quick examination. When she confirmed he was unharmed, she nodded in content and gave way to the other woman.

She stepped up and smiled softly at Slash, bowing politely. "Hello," he said. 

"Mohini, how are you?" Yazhu greeted. 

"I've been better," she admitted. The tan wolf glanced at her two children and sighed. "I should have expected this, though."

Yazhu looked at the young pair and pressed his lips thin. "I see." 

"It'll be fine, this is my last year witnessing this anyway. I just wish I could have done more for this pack than give you children fated to die," Mohini said. She squeezed her eyes shut and then let her face relax. When she opened her eyes again, she wore a much softer look as opposed to the sullen one before. "Regardless! That's not what I came to discuss." she flipped her attention back to Willow, "So this boy here is going to be Cinnamon's training partner?"

Slash flinched, knowing he was brought to attention. He took a peek at the two pups standing by Mohini's side. They were scrutinizing him with both judgment and curiosity. He eyed the two of them, wondering which was Cinnamon. Their silence felt awkward; he couldn't bring himself to greet them. They had a cheerful exterior but he knew they must've been drained inside, not just from witnessing the purification but also from losing most of their siblings not long before. 

"Slash," his attention was caught by Willow, and he reverted to listening to her. "Tomorrow you'll take the examination, and when you pass you'll be training alongside the girl here. Her name's Cinnamon. Try to get along with her." 

Slash whipped back to the pups and he set his sights on the female. She had stunning electric yellow eyes and auburn fur, exuding a sense of fire. She bounced forward without warning, sending Slash stumbling back. "Uh, hi," he managed. 

"Hi there. I didn't think they'd take a runt like you into the pack! Not to mention Willow has so much confidence in you. It's pretty strange, but whatever!" her statements were scathing but her face exhibited a brilliant smile like her words implied a normal greeting. 

He twitched at her remarks. "Um, well, we're the same age so you know I still have room to grow. You're Cinnamon? I'm-" 

"Slash, I heard. That's a really weird name, in my opinion. Why'd your parents name you that? So small and fluffy and they give you a big bad name like Slash." 

"Big bad name? I don't think that was the point of the name..." The she-wolf merely tilted her head and continued to stare at him enthusiastically. _'Dear Mia above this is going to be the real trial isn't it?'_

Cinnamon's brother stepped up and he shoved his sister aside, getting a squeak out of her as she toppled over. She glared at him as he sat down, neatly coiling his tail around his leg. "Sorry about her. I'm Seisyll. It's nice to meet you." He bowed to Slash, who returned the bow. Seisyll grabbed Cinnamon's head with his paw and thrust her head down forcing a bow. Slash didn't return that one. 

Cinnamon flung her head up and growled. "Don't act tough now after running away from the Rose Orb!" 

Seisyll rolled his eyes at her stingy words. "So," he raised an eyebrow at Slash. "Where are you from? Mom told me we get packmates from all over the world so I've made it a little goal to keep track of how many newcomers we get from each zone." 

"Oh, I'm from ... well..." he suddenly drew a blank. He racked his mind for the answer but somehow he couldn't recall ever hearing the name of his zone. "I don't know," he admitted. He turned to Willow and gave her puppy eyes, begging her to answer for him. 

She got his signal loud and clear, "The zone is Diana Peninsula. He's from the Forest of Diana near Signa Hill, more specifically." 

"Forest of Diana?" Slash echoed. The others all went silent and stared at Slash with a strange look on their face. He was filled with anxiety locked under their eyes. "Um, is there something wrong?" 

"Oh no, it's just that the Forest of Diana is a very special place," Willow said, taking everything in stride. "It was the great mother's favorite location before it was burnt down. After that, she cleared out all the ruin and planted a whole new forest full of young saplings all on her lonesome. Not to mention it's right beside Drew, the birthplace of Blue of the Adherents." 

"Oh really? Sorry, I never knew," Slash said. "Are there other special places like my forest?" 

"Too many to list. Pretty much every location is synonymous with some special event whether we know it or not. It's not that it has any historical value, it's just we see the Forest of Diana as a sacred location considering the Axis cherished it," Willow said. 

Slash hummed in thought and cocked his head. So the forest he lived in was such a special place? Only if Willow's words had weight to them, however. In truth, Slash didn't know anything about the Axis or the Great Mother, finding both new words. But he had asked so many questions today and learned so much that he felt that he'd just forget it even if they told him. His mind was stuffed full of new information, it was beyond reason for him to shove any more information in there. He still had to digest today's mental meal. 

"Regardless, that's all a story for another day. The real reason we're here is to introduce you to Mohini. She'll be your foster mother until you're an adult." 

"I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, Slash. I hope you enjoy your stay." Mohini crouched down to meet Slash eye to eye. One look at her and Slash could tell just why she was chosen to look after him. She seemed to be a very patient and kind person at first glance. But, what she said before about her children being fated to die. It seemed she suffered quite a bit. "If you have any questions about the pack, don't be afraid to ask. My bloodline is natural to this pack, unlike most others. I'm the twenty-ninth of my generation. Cinnamon and Seisyll are the thirtieth!" 

"Is that a big deal?" 

Mohini looked away. "It is when you think about the line of work. We don't just deal with Sin Lions; sometimes we tackle the source. The gangs and criminals that breed those lions into existence. It's dangerous. Most don't live long enough to have children. Even if they do, the mortality of those children is hardly negotiable. Anything can wipe out a bloodline, be it murder or natural causes like a disease." 

"And that's not taking into account whether a woman wants to have a child or not," Willow said. "Personally, I'd rather never be a mother. I'll train kids any day, but birthing them is a whole different story! My bloodline ends with me." 

"What about your brother and sister?" Slash asked. 

"Engin, just like me, refuses to have kids by choice so he's out. Gwendolen is barren, so she's also out." 

"Barren? Wait, Gwendolen is your sister?!" 

"Yes, Gwendolen's my sister." 

"Woah, so you're the little sister of the alpha! Comfy position." Slash blurted. Willow smirked knowing well that her blood meant nothing to her position. Slash didn't need to know that, however. Might as well let the kid have his delusions. Mohini shook her head and stood up, she nodded to her pups and they both bounced to their feet. 

"Slash, dear, why don't we head to the nursery? It'll just be one night while the second half of the ceremony starts." 

"There's more?" 

"Yes, but the remainder of the ceremony is nothing like the burning of the pearls. You won't be able to participate anyway as you came too late, so let's just head back so we can talk. You must be exhausted from your journey so we'll rest while they continue."

Yazhu stood and patted Seisyll, "You should work hard. Become a good medic. I hope you'll be a great partner one day." With that said, he turned and padded away. 

Seisyll sighed and he looked to his mother with pressed lips. Mohini just shook her head and spun around and tiptoed across the Chamber with her three charges ambling behind her. As they walked, Slash learned he resembled one of Seisyll and Cinnamon's late brothers who died from an illness. It frightened him a bit, but they both just had gray fur. 

On their way, Mohini paused and glanced at Slash, "Are you hungry at all? I understand you've been traveling all day long and you haven't eaten a scrap of food. It's already around midnight in the Diana Peninsula..." Forget that, he should've been beyond exhausted due to his young age. Still, when faced with that gentle face Slash felt a bit strange. Was it alright to even eat at night? 

"Sorry, but I'm fine. We usually only eat once a week to spare prey. Today, in Diana, it was the day we ate and I can't eat anymore now. I'm alright with fasting so it's no bother." 

Seisyll and Cinnamon both froze and gawked at Slash. He only ate once a week? "You seriously can do that?!" Cinnamon bounced to be right in the gray pup's face, "I can't imagine going even a day without food, and you manage a whole week? I don't believe you, you're lying!" 

"No, it's true! We really do practice fasting." 

"That must be why you're so small, then! You need to eat a lot to get big." She said. Seisyll agreed with his sister posthaste. "If you keep this up you'll stay a runt forever." 

"I don't think that has anything to do with it. I mean, my brother and I eat the same way and he's bigger than Willow." Slash said. Mohini frowned and examined Slash closely. Slash couldn't understand what the problem was; he wasn't much smaller than his new foster siblings, not to mention his brother never said anything about his size either. 

"Is your brother a Fenrillis?" Mohini asked. But she regretted her question realizing he wouldn't understand. 

"What's a Fenrillis?" 

"It's ... a clan. Demonic Wolves aren't just a collective race where everyone shares the same traits. We have different races known as 'Clans' that dictate how we look and what powers we can use. Sometimes we can have abilities unusual to our clan but it's uncommon. Members of the Fenrillis clan are known for being larger than other clans, with strong well-muscled bodies. They're the complete opposite of the Shrew clan which features small slender bodies for slipping through cracks." 

"Oh ... no. I don't think he's a Fenrillis. My brother has no muscles. But, if I'm small could I be a Shrew? My dad was really small so he might've been one! I've never seen a wolf smaller than him before so maybe I just inherited his clan."

"Your father was a Shrew? Then, that could explain if you don't grow much in the future. For now, we'll just wait and see. I'd say you should stop fasting, though. We have plenty of food here so you can eat your fill every day without worrying. We have people watching the populations of the prey we eat so there's no worry of hunting too many." 

"But..." 

"No buts! You should eat your fill, otherwise, you won't grow strong. You don't want to fail Willow's expectations, do you?"

Slash shook his head and slouched down. Reluctantly, he agreed and he went off with her to where they kept the food for that night's dinner. Several wolves were eating and didn't care as Slash approached. Mohini watched like a hawk as Slash pushed himself to eat the meat despite his whole body telling him it wasn't okay. Taking advantage, the siblings joined him and ate alongside him, giving him more reassurance. He still felt he didn't earn it, but he figured he'd learn to deal with it. He'd learn to hunt in the mountains soon, and he'd make sure to pay them back for everything. 

When finished, he shrank back to Mohini and crouched at her feet, feeling ashamed of the free food. Mohini, now satisfied, called back her kids and brought them all to the nursery, located in a crack in the wall. It was to the far right of the tunnel and due to being a slit opening hidden beside a shrub, it was difficult to spot and considered safe. The nursery is where all mothers would stay with their young until the fall, where their children would be taken as trainees in the field of their choosing. 

There, Slash would spend his first night in Sapphire. 

Slash slipped through the narrow entrance and peeked around the dark area. To his surprise, it opened to a long hall with many paths diverging from the main area. It was impressively spacious, failing to feel even the least bit cramped. On the ceiling hung black lamps with small flickering flames giving just enough light to manage without tripping. 

The den featured a dirt path with smooth stone walls, carved precisely so there were no sharp edges. It was obvious safety was the priority in the creation of the den. The numerous paths lead to numerous nesting rooms for the mothers. According to Seisyll, no two mothers have ever shared a nest. 

Slash paced after the family as they padded through the halls to their nest. The place had a nice herbal smell to it. 

They entered Mohini's section of the den and the she-wolf nosed at the bedding underfoot. It covered the whole floor and seemed to be something like straw. Slash cocked an eyebrow and sniffed at the straw, curious of the scent Mohini was checking out. There was a similar black lamp hanging from the ceiling, but it was unlit, leaving the room dark. 

"This will be the last night here, you two. Once Slash is tested tomorrow, you'll go to sleep in the Chamber's open area like everyone else. No more privileges." Mohini leaned over and whispered to Slash. "Don't worry about making any noise, we're the only ones here. I was the only mother this year." She gave a quirky grin and returned to the entrance of the nesting area, laying in front of the path. Slash's ears drooped and he inched deeper into the room. 

The two siblings settled down in the bedding and looked to Slash expectantly. Seisyll was the first to speak up, "What's your brother like? Is he cool or is he annoying like Cinnamon?" This earned him a glare from his sister, but he fully ignored her in favor of the gray-furred male. 

"Well, he's alright. Fang is big and he's strong but he is a sloppy fighter. He's brave to a fault and is kind. He says he feels bad for the animals we have to eat. But, he's a total pushover! He always lets me have my way and never argues. That makes him kind of sucky," Slash said. Thinking about the disagreement they had before Slash left for Sapphire, he scoffed. Seisyll and Cinnamon glanced at each other. 

"I think he sounds nice, I wouldn't mind meeting him," Seisyll said. He smiled at the boy. Cinnamon rolled her eyes and flopped onto her side, pushing her head into Seisyll's shoulder. 

Slash rested across from the siblings, and as soon as he laid down his exhaustion crashed over him like a tidal wave. His legs felt heavy and he was sure he couldn't bring himself to stand up again. His body was pinned to the ground whether he liked it or not. He rested his head on his paws and watched as the siblings wrestled nearby. They didn't seem halfway tired which meant they were probably going to stay up for a while longer. 

Mohini watched the three, her eyes falling to Slash's face. Frowning, she took a breath and sat up. "Slash, would you like to hear a story?" 

"A story?" 

"Yes, a very special story. One of our pack's history and the wonderful she-wolf who founded our entire culture, making us who we are today." She eyed her two little ones with a devious glint. The siblings bounced to their mother and sat down, looking eagerly up at her. The she-wolf turned her attention back to Slash. "Well? Would you like to hear about it? For them, it's a repeat but for you, it'll be a brand new tale." 

Slash thought for a moment. The history of the pack ... Yazhu mentioned that the pack was thousands of years old, meaning that the story was ancient. "Okay. I'll listen." 

The siblings shifted over to Slash and cuddled beside him, Cinnamon using his back as a pillow, and Seisyll leaning up against his neck and shoulder. Mohini shifted herself into a comfortable position and smiled warmly at the pups. Above their heads, the previously unlit lamp suddenly flickered on, a small flame dancing behind the tempered glass. Mohini's mouth twitched. "It finally lit up. Always with that delay..." 

"Anyway, shall we get started? The great history of the three apostles and the birth of the second unity. It's a long story so get comfortable." Mohini cleared her throat and squirmed trying to set the mood for a story. Thus, the story began. 

  
  


"A long time ago, many years after the start of the first revolution, demonkind lived in absolute chaos. It was a time where the strong governed and morals were left to rot. It was a time of despair for all, be they Demonic Wolves, Skins, Beast Kin, or even Angeloids. Among the numerous wars reigned the Trinity War which swallowed all attempts at order, bathing our land in blood. Beasts born from the war dotted the world painted the innocent in terror, causing an imbalance. Eventually, the situation of the sin consuming beasts became too great and most wars came to an end and the warriors shifted their focus to combating the violent creatures. 

Day after day was vicious fight after vicious fight with no rest. During that period, Demonic Wolves knew not of their demon blood and could rely only on their fangs and claws, making them prime targets for the beasts. Our ancestors suffered the greatest trauma known to Mirror. Packs were small and few between. To flourish in such a world meant one had to be strong; there was no place for the weak. In their desperation, wolves would turn on one another and there were constant spats with other packs. It benefited nobody. Life continued on one weak breath at a time. 

When wolves learned the weakness of the beasts, they were overjoyed, and when they found the black pearl left behind they decided it was their reward for the defeat. A medal of honor. But, as the number of pearls grew, demonkind found it troubling. They knew not how to destroy them, as brute force and magic failed to harm the small orbs. 

One day, in the continent of West, a pack of demonic wolves decided to cleverly start a bonfire. The alpha of Ashen Night believed that like normal pearls, the black pearls would burn in the flames and be reduced to the dust from which it came. He and his pack began a fire and dumped the pearls into the flames, hopeful for their destruction. 

It turned out to be a horrific mistake. 

The gems did indeed burn and break, but they released all of the darkness stored inside. The sinful energy recollected itself and became a new beast ... one of solid black fur and sickly gray eyes. The beast, newly awakened with power far beyond what any demon had seen, went on a rampage and slaughtered most of its creators leaving only a mere four alive. This became known as the 'Black Lion Incident' and became a lesson for demonkind. 

'Do not allow the pearls to burn.' 

It became a slap to the face for everyone who learned of the incident; they never defeated the lions at all. All of the pride for slaying a lion in battle was buried away in a locked chest. They never won. They were only putting the beast to sleep and breeding an even greater monster. They achieved nothing. 

Ashen Night's four survivors fled deeper into the jungle, where they were surprised the black beast didn't follow. They intruded in the territory of another pack and were caught. They went willingly, knowing better. The survivors explained the situation and pleaded for assistance, but even the other wolves knew nothing. To fight such a powerful beast would take hundreds of demons. There was no way to gather up the forces or even cooperate. It was a useless plight. 

While the others were satisfied to just be alive, one of the survivors felt no ease. She felt disgusting. The Black Lion was left to roam free, taking innocent lives while she cowered in a corner, tail between her legs. This wasn't the sort of life she wanted to live. Thus, she came to a conclusion. If nobody else stepped up, then she would. 

Sapphire, a young she-wolf with a determined heart, decided to take matters into her own paws. She would learn about the beasts and find a way to defeat the lion who slaughtered her family." 

Slash's eyes widened, _'Sapphire?!'_

"Sapphire began to observe the lions and study their behavior; she analyzed everything. She noted every location they appeared in and their growth. She realized that the lions would always appear where a battle was fought, or strife was abundant; this led to the revelation of their birth. They were a consequence of our fighting; they embodied the wrath of demonkind. Upon figuring out their purpose, Sapphire decided to dub the beast as 'Sin Lion'. Upon naming the beasts of darkness, her greatest nightmare appeared before her. The Sin Lion created by Ashen Night during the Black Lion Incident came forth, standing before the she-wolf. It was pacified and merely watched her despite her hatred.

Then, all of a sudden, a bright light burst forth from the sky and cascaded down to Mirror. From the light was a beautiful white lion with glistening scarlet eyes and legs of a golden hue. The beautiful scarlet eyed lion stepped to Sapphire and performed something no lion had ever done before. 

It spoke. 

The lion introduced herself as the Continental Goddess of the West, Taavet. She explained to Sapphire that everything the she-wolf had deduced was correct, and that Sin Lions were a lesson for demonkind. She wished for her subjects to support one another and work together to combat a threat greater than each other, but clearly, her message wasn't sent. Either they worked together to survive, or they perished to the bloodied fangs of their own sins. 

Understanding that her message couldn't be understood, she requested Sapphire to act as an envoy and spread her message to demons of all races. She wished for Sapphire to unite the demons once again and form a new era of peace where the lions wouldn't prevail. And thus, upon the agreement, Sapphire was blessed by the Goddess of the West herself. She was given the power to confront Sin Lions and consume their sins upon the burning of the pearls. 

Sapphire would become the first Purifier in history, and the one destined to cleanse the ancient world of their sins. She would come to bring an end to the chaos, and mend the bleeding wounds caused by the First Revolution. 

With her blessing, the monstrous lion burst into black smoke and was consumed by Sapphire, increasing her strength and lengthening her life span beyond that of a normal Demonic Wolf. She knew that Sin Lions could never be prevented from being created, but so long as demonkind worked together, they could manage the threat and prosper once again. 

Subsequently, Sapphire traveled alongside her two companions across the globe and spread the word of the Goddess and destroyed the Stained Pearls collected over the many years of war. She managed to get demonkind to work together to fight the lions, proving that they could see eye to eye if given the chance. 

Demons of all kinds worshiped Sapphire as the Envoy of Taavet and every year they would collect all of their Stained Pearls and bring them to the she-wolf. They would light a bonfire and dance and pray for her, celebrating their newfound freedom and the peace brought by the wolf. 

The wolves who followed her and practiced her mantra eventually founded their own pack under her name ... the single greatest Sin Scavenger pack in all of history, Sapphire. Even centuries after her death, demonkind continued to sing praises to the lady of the Second Unity." 

Mohini heaved a sigh, finally finished with her story. She opened her eyes to three children staring at her with large sparkling eyes. She grinned. "Did you like that?" she asked. All three nodded their heads fast as they could. It was confusing but it was a great story. 

"That was a great refresher! One day do you think I'll be an elder telling this story to the kids of the pack?" Cinnamon looked at her brother and Slash. 

"You ought to be thinking of how you'll tell it to your own children, young lady." Mohini raised an eyebrow and smirked. Cinnamon froze and glanced at her mother. The pup was stunned that her mother could say such a thing.

Seisyll didn't seem impressed either. "Mom, do you really think Cinnamon could be a mom? I can't imagine her having kids. She'd probably be a horrible mother." 

"Hush! Don't look down on your sister. If not her, then you should be looking to have kids. Our bloodline is precious to this pack and I don't want to see it end with me. Besides, being a mother is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Seeing that you can create life yourself and even see that life develop and grow up." She gave her kids a stern look. 

"You mean to end with us," Seisyll muttered. Mohini couldn't deny that. Still, she felt some sympathy for her children. Maybe that was a bit too much stress to be putting on the backs of pups so young. 

She decided to pull back. "I'm sorry. Forget it. I shouldn't try to force you. I guess I'm still hung up on my mother's pride. She was always so proud of our blood existing in the pack for centuries. Might have rubbed off on me." 

"Okay, but think about it, mom. Cinnamon sucks and she'd probably raise a bunch of little nuisances," Seisyll said. 

"I do not! I bet I could raise the strongest, greatest wolves in all of history." 

Slash chuckled nervously. The siblings climbed off him and began throwing sarcastic remarks at one another, and even throwing some childish things at Mohini. Narrowing his eyes, Slash interrupted them, "Mohini, can I ask a question?" 

"Hmm? What is it dear?" 

"Is anyone in the pack related to Sapphire? Did she have kids?" 

Mohini blinked. She gritted her teeth at the question. "Yes and no. Sapphire's relatives do exist in the pack to this day; their blood is beyond important to us, and their safety is prioritized above everyone else. But, they're not descendants of Sapphire herself. They're the descendants of Sapphire's one surviving relative, Hornet," Mohini said. "As for Sapphire herself ... well, it's strongly implied she was barren as her price." she continued. "But, again, yes, her blood remains in the pack to this day. Nonetheless, you lot should be getting ready for bed. It's getting late! I expect to see you three asleep by the time I come back." 

Mohini stood up and stomped to the entryway. She turned back, "As long as you're in this den, you follow my rules. My rules say it's bedtime. I'll be off to carry out the rest of the ceremony with the other adults, so goodnight. Sleep well." And with that, Mohini left. 

The siblings looked at one another before deciding that Mohini's rules were trash and began to wrestle, their bodies harmlessly kicking at one another, pushing each other around. Slash, on the other hand, decided to let lazy eyes fall. He wriggled in the bedding until he felt comfortable enough and then finally set out for some shuteye. He felt like he could sleep for a few years. His spent brain shut off instantly, drifting his consciousness to a new area; it was one he visited every night. 

Slash knew he was asleep, but these dreams of his felt too real. It was as if he had been transported to a new dimension of sorts, or astrally projected into one at the very least. Of course, why he was here was the least of his problems. Actually understanding the location was his main concern every night. 

Beneath his paws were numerous bright pink paths, spread across the inky darkness like the veins through one's body. The paths never made sense. When he tried to follow them forward, he came to dead ends and couldn't move beyond the path, but when he turned back and traveled to the start of the path, he found odd golden figures completely stationary. Their glowing bodies featureless and quietly standing in place, never budging no matter how much he tried to will them to move. 

Somehow, these wolves didn't scare him. They exuded an aura of nobility. At least that's how he'd describe the sensation. They were comfortable to be near and made him comfortable. He didn't understand who they were or why they were in his dreams, least of all why he had the dream every night. The paths that he could walk along and the figures patiently waiting to step forward. He didn't get it. What purpose was there in seeing these dreams? 

He decided he wouldn't worry about it. Maybe sometime down the road - or path, apparently - he would ask Willow about his recurring dreams and get her opinions. She seemed smart, so she'd probably have something to say. If not then maybe someone else in the pack could help. He could ask Gwendolen or Yazhu if they knew anything, or could at least point him to someone who would. 

Still, he churned his thoughts and recalled the story he heard just before drifting off. Remembering the details, he could only think of so many questions. "Sapphire was a crazy girl. Did she really travel the oceans into war zones just to tell them to stop fighting? I mean, the goddess told her to, so..." 

His mind fell to another thought. "... Did our ancestors really not know they were demons? I wonder why that was. Did something bad happen to cause demons to forget about their powers and their blood? But how could we forget what species we were?" 

He peered at the glittering pink path under his paws. Maybe it was possible. And if so, someone had to have reminded the wolves of who they were and what they were capable of. Another mystery to be solved. Great. 

In the end, his thoughts would chase their tails through the night. His mind received no rest. 

* * *

_"Family is built on love, not expectations. The blood running through your veins does not dictate who your family is. Anyone can love you. Our true family isn't those we share blood with, but those who love us with all their heart and soul. Those who cherish us despite all of our flaws, and even embrace those flaws. The desire for that gentle embrace. Where can we find it?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading~! Feedback is appreciated! Tell me if I have any mistakes!   
> Also, three cheers for a long chapter. >:)   
> Lots of new names, lots of new characters, lots of new info. This place is terribly noisy, isn't it? Be prepared there's gonna be a fuckton of characters in this series.


	7. Auspicious Calamity - 6

_PK - Summer, 115, 0000_

* * *

Once the light of dawn danced through the sky, Slash was shaken awake by Mohini who then rushed him out of the Chamber with Willow in tow. The trio was whisked away to the Pinwood Garden by a teleportation system located on the final stone of the floating network. From there they began their journey to the Lady's Crown, the mountain range encircling the Meadowlands. 

The Meadowlands that surrounded the Pinwood Garden was five miles wide, while the Lady's Crown was twenty miles. The distance they needed to travel was great, but thanks to their ability to fly, it didn't take them long to soar to the mountains. Upon the way, Slash was given the rundown by Willow on what he was about to go through. 

Within the Lady's Crown, not all of the land was attached to the planet. The Sky Archipelago was a series of islets that hovered about the dips of the mountains, forever stationary. While the origins of the islets were unknown, they had always been a part of Puella and had existed long before even Sapphire appeared. There was a legend that they were sent adrift by the mother of Taavet. One of the four regents of the world, West. But, no one could say for certain if she were the source of the mysterious structures or not. The only thing that mattered was their endpoint was an islet of the Sky Archipelago. The Rose Islet. 

They soared through the towering mountains and past numerous floating heaps of rock. In the center of those heaps of rock were massive floating stalactite shaped structures of land. Vines and roots hung from the sides, peeking from within the soil. On the tops were plants; grass, flowers, shrubs, even trees. Thick roots leading from the top all the way to the mountains below acted as a bridge to and from the sky island. 

Finally, they came to an especially flat floating island in the Sky Archipelago, and they drifted to the roots. Landing safely, Mohini placed Slash, whom she was carrying, down on the thick mass of mossy roots. Slash stared at the surprisingly solid bridge and glanced at Willow who landed down beside them. Willow nodded to the island and the three climbed the ancient bridge to the top of the structure. With every apprehensive step, he got closer to his fate. 

The scenery below was astounding. The countless verdant mountains rolling over one another, painted by the sunrise and dawn's light, the birds of all sorts dancing among the clouds singing their morning songs for the world to enjoy. The land was luscious and possessed a glow of effervescence. It was still cool, the sun not yet brushing his back with a fiery cascade. This scene was like medicine for a heart ill with unrest. 

Despite the beauty of the land, it was a treacherous hike through the mountains. They acted as a protective barrier for the land of Puella and everything within. It made Slash think that Sapphire chose Puella for the sake of keeping her comrades as safe as possible. 

Slash trudged up to the top and stepped onto the island alongside the females. The Rose Islet held a shallow pond with an island in the center. It was an island on an island. Neat. Either way, the Rose Orb was settled on the little pond island on top of the big floating island. It was a suspended sphere twice the size of an adult wolf just bobbing up and down in mid-air. Loitering beside the airborne orb was a familiar gray and white figure, Engin. 

Slash followed Willow as she hopped across the stepping stones to the little islet where the test would take place. Mohini leapt after them in the rear. Unlike the clumsy pup, Mohini jumped elegantly and without any hesitation. If what she had said before was true, then she had been across these stepping stones copious times. 

"Welcome to the Rose Islet." Engin greeted. The trio all nodded to him, Slash a slight delay compared to the girls. "Slash, come forward." The pup hastily stepped over to the older male, peeking at him. Engin led Slash to the Rose Orb, stopping just short of it. "This is the Rose Orb. We use this to test pups to see if they're worthy of gaining a Sin Marking. Though we aren't sure as to why, if you are unable to earn a Sin Marking, the Rose Orb will lash out and kill you." 

Slash swallowed with a dry mouth. He stared at his reflection in the pink object, unable to take his eyes away. "We're not sure what the Rose Orb deems are unacceptable or not, really. There've been no patterns to speak of. Nonetheless, we know that those who gain a Sin Marking are blessed by the Rose Orb to be talented. The Sin Marking itself often represents either fate or power." 

"Fate? Power?" Slash echoed. Engin nodded. 

"Sometimes the Sin Marking will let us know of a single significant event in our life. Sometimes it will tell us the greatest power we have at our disposal. We never know what the marking translates to until the moment it reveals the truth itself. For an example of power, we can look to Willow." He gestured to the auburn female, who raised her head with a proud grin. "The rhombus on her forehead displays her talent with invading the minds of others and manipulating their very brain to cause hallucinations or even cause the brain to self-destruct. It's dangerous and her Sin Marking only enhances that power even more by giving her more ways to utilize it. She can even bring her own imagination to life in the form of living shadows." 

"Woah ... I was wondering what you did to that Sin Lion. You made its brain explode?" 

"Technically, we don't call it a brain, we call it a core. Their brain is their only body part that means something; it's like a heart to them. They don't have an actual heart so the next best thing is the brain. It's their designated core. Destroy that and they go down instantly. Destroy any other part of their body and they keep going regardless of what biology says." Willow said. 

"I can't count how many times I've seen a severed head rolling about with its own body kicking it..." Mohini muttered. "Outsiders should do a better job."

Slash shuddered at the imagery of that last thing. He didn't come here to talk about Sin Lion biology he came here to take a life or death test. "Engin? Can we begin?" 

Engin nodded and patted the Rose Orb. "What I want you to do and lay down and touch your nose to this. You will begin to feel relaxed, after that, I will connect and send you into a deep sleep. Then, we will begin." Despite being uncertain about everything, Slash conceded and followed the male's instructions. He laid beside the Rose Orb and tapped his nose against the orb, unsure if he were supposed to have continuous contact or not. He took a deep breath and muttered Yazhu's advice to himself. "Are you prepared?" Engin asked. Slash took his nose off the orb to nod and pressed it back on. As Engin said, his body began feeling heavy and his muscles relaxed. His head slid down and his chin hit the ground with a thump. 

Engin took that as his cue. "Remember that dying is an impossibility. Everything will seem lifelike but they're all just illusions. Some of these situations will call for drastic measures, so be prepared and be brave." He pushed his own nose against the Rose Orb and then rested himself into the grass beside Slash. He closed his eyes, with Slash copying him. 

A blanket of darkness was cast over his vision, and he yielded to that darkness, allowing his body to grow numb and his alertness to fade. He fell asleep. In the back of his mind, he could hear a distant voice. _"Let's begin."_

  
  


Slash found himself standing in a void or a box of a room where everything was painted in black. His eyes wandered but there was nothing in all directions, just emptiness that his eyes couldn't focus on. Feeling strained from the darkness, he turned his sights to his paws so there was at least something for his eyes to center on. Those paws stayed firm in their spot, not knowing whether a step would be disastrous to the test or his mind. For all he knew, every movement would have some effect on the results, or even what he would become. 

Finally, from the darkness a small rumble, then a voice humming gently. Slash lifted his gaze to the void, tuning in on the voice; it was Engin's sounding so melodic. "It appears everything is set up properly now, I apologize for the wait. We will begin shortly." 

"Begin?" Slash sent his sights skyward, and he felt his heart stop the instant he did. 

Two giant glacial eyes were locked onto the pup below, and around those eyes was Engin's face looming above. Frozen at the being, Slash slid his focus to the right, and saw a massive paw placed firm beside him; just a single toe was larger than he. He could say for certain a gargantuan version of Engin was staring him down, and he was standing between the male's paws. "We will see what you're capable of. Good luck," he said. Slash looked back up curiously and the two locked eyes, but he felt no goodwill from those glass-like eyes. The words were empty.

In the same instant, Engin's body liquefied, sending a tidal wave of pale color collapsing from overhead. Slash lowered his head and shut his eyes tight, bracing every muscle in his body as the paint-like substance came crashing down. It felt like rocks pelting him as it rained down, bringing an influx of pain with every heavy droplet. Once the last drops fell, it felt as though his whole body was pulsating, recovering from the repeated shocks. His slight breaths slowly became stronger as his body calmed; eyelashes trembled and his eyelids gave way to glossy emeralds. 

The child lifted a paw and studied the liquid that drenched his body; shades of gray, some white, black, and hints of blue from his eyes. His pupils contracted as the paint glittered with odd light briefly. Then, it faded away. As if it had never existed to begin with, the pain and the weight was lifted from the pup. The area became devoid of color once more. His pupils swelled once more, attempting to adjust once more. 

Slash lowered his paw cautiously, and eyeballed the surroundings, waiting for the true start of the test. He spun rapidly catching a light in the corner of his eye, and before him was a stretch of land featuring a forest of snow and slumbering trees. Aimless snowfall slipped into the scene from the void, not a breeze to direct them elsewhere, delicately blending into the sparkling frost below. The whole thing radiated a gentle, beckoning glow. Beside winter appeared spring, and beside spring was summer, and finally came autumn. The seasons formed a square around Slash, entrapping him in the center where all land melted into one.

Examining each one, the meaning behind each land stirred up curiosity. What was their purpose here? Was Slash meant to make a decision here? In the back of his mind, he felt he could relate this to Yazhu's vase test, only seasons instead of a rainbow of molded clay. As if attempting to answer him, a small pink light appeared in each season, hovering deep within. It was just as the portals, which meant... 

"Are those portals?" He pondered each season, their purpose unclear. Most likely he wouldn't be receiving instructions from Engin meaning he would have to make all of the decisions on his own. It seemed simple enough, though. Slash raised an eyebrow and tiptoed into the winter scenery, his paws sinking into the snow, leaving a small trail as he moved. He went over to the pink light, which shifted into a slit and expanded into a round swirling portal. It was just as he had predicted. They were portals meant to help him traverse. 

'Going through this probably means I'll have made my decision. I bet it'll take me to my next test. Alright then let's see where we go.' 

Slash slipped through the portal and instantly found himself in a whole new place. His eyes burned from the severe light that was born of the four suns above. His pupils became dots as he pried them open to see the new area. The world was no longer a dark void, nor a winter forest. It was a blue sky stretching endlessly, no clouds above. 

His eyes wandered over the numerous floating lakes that seemed to gush water endlessly, sending the overflow into numerous roaring waterfalls that broke whatever silence may have been found once. Slash turned his attention to his location, staring down as the gray stone he was standing on. Like the rest, it was a floating lake with no land in sight and copious amounts of water rushing past him over the ledge and into the abyss below. The fog was so thick he couldn't see what was beneath the blanket of white. Aside from the few gray stones bulging from beneath the rapids, there was nowhere to stand and nowhere to go. Ahead was a steep drop; he was stranded. 

The drifting lakes felt both lonely, somber, and empty all the while being so beautiful and lively. It made Slash's heart uneasy. 

He tried his hardest to find something that may have had a purpose, but the enigma became more pronounced. The four suns didn't dare help, as they reached out only with hazardous light that pained the wolf's eyes. The cool water rushing over the pup's paws gave him the idea to splash the refreshing cold over the ache. At this rate, he would go snow blind. He plopped down into the water lapping the stone and washed away the pain. He rolled in the water to cool off his pelt. Sitting back up, he perked his ears and put himself on high alert. This wasn't all to the simulation. 

He stood and turned to his own lake, surveying the water. He had a powerful sense of dread deep in his gut, and he knew well that his instincts were on his side. He raised his tail and flexed his claws. 

Soon enough, emerging from within the water was a black figure appearing just for the moment before sinking back into the lake. It sprayed old air from its blowhole and then curled back under the surface. The water rippled as the figure disappeared from sight. A dolphin? Slash tilted his head, _'Could things survive in a place like this?'_ he wondered. His mind went blank as he spotted another figure moving through the current. This time, it was swimming for the shelf Slash was located on. With a twitch of his ear, he inched back as the thing got closer. All his hair went on end and the roaring of the waterfall suddenly seemed deafening. He became eerily aware of his position. 

He was stuck between a steep drop into a world of the unknown, and a lake of uncertainty. The figure in the water was proof of how dangerous swimming in the floating lake could be, and how deadly this situation really was. 

Slash stared in complete silence as the ghastly form swam through the rushing water, advancing. The pup's fur bristled, and his whole body strained, his legs stiff and his lips pressing into a thin line. His glare intensified as a large webbed hand shot from the water and slammed down onto the shelf. Hooked claws of several inches scraped against stone releasing a terrible noise as it hoisted itself from the water. A massive reptilian covered in mud brown scales and fins of disgusting murky yellow crawled onto the mass of rock mere feet away. 

Starved eyes leered at Slash as a mouth of razor blades slipped open, a long slimy tongue slithering out and around the fangs. The pup scowled and stepped back, his mouth twitching as his foot tapped at the edge of the shelf. He had nowhere to run. His pounding heart gave him two options, to fight the beast, or figure out how to escape. It was fight or flight. The adrenaline was pumping and it wasn't going to stop. 

He knew it was an illusion, he knew it couldn't kill him, but he could strip himself of the terror gripping his chest. The horrific knowledge he could still feel everything in these dreams, the gelid snow, and the furious sun, it brought no comfort. But, it was fate. He turned and stared down the waterfall into the fog below. His face relaxed and he turned back to the creature. Whether it would kill him quickly or torture him slowly, agonizingly to death was something he didn't exactly want to find out. 

He reminded himself of what Engin told him. Drastic measures. Perhaps so soon? 

Slash's mouth screwed up into an awkward smile and he tittered. 

He stepped off the shelf. 

He fell, plummeting into the foggy abyss below, the creature hanging over the edge watching him as he vanished into the fog. 

  
  


When he lost sight of that pale blue sky and his field became drowned by the fog, he felt an unusual satisfaction. His mind went silent and his chest felt so empty without the terror to fill him. It felt ... nice. It was good. His whole body relaxed and he cherished that moment of peace during his free fall. His eyes closed for a moment and the gravity pulling him down became just another delusion. 

Slash whirled around and made it so his back faced the sun. As soon as he looked down, he gasped as he saw a pink light below him, ready to swallow him whole. The light gulped him up and spat him out the other end.

"Ah?!" Slash was sent tumbling at a high speed through bushes and shrubs, tumbling even further down a hillside and finally slamming against a thick clump of branches bringing him to a halt. "Ergh, ow..." He found himself upside down, his head pushed to the dirt and butt in the air, his tail hanging down tickling his chin; he was held in place by the sturdy branches. The pup stalled to regain his bearings. Once his head stopped spinning and his body no longer felt like it had been stampeded by several hundred moose, he flipped over and sat up. 

He took a gander at his new location and raised an eyebrow at the simplicity. It was a jungle. Lots of trees, lots of underbrush, and certainly lots of humidity. There was the loud echoing of numerous birdsong above head and from somewhere in the distance a waterfall. A negative reminder of his last task. Seemed like he would be haunted by waterfalls this next while. He stood and stretched out his sore body and shook off his drenched and muddy pelt. All of that tumbling had clumps of mud and leaves stuck all over. He was a complete mess. 

He grumbled about the rough landing and tottered through the jungle, closely watching his surroundings for any hints of his next challenge. He heaved a sigh. _'And here I thought I was supposed to seriously die in that simulation. So just the drastic measure itself is enough to count as a pass? Well, I guess the information is vague.'_ He paused and screwed up his face. "Dear Mia, what am I supposed to do?! I have to deal with how many of these situations?! I guess the faster I solve the problems, the more I'll have to do ... I was told by Yazhu it shouldn't go beyond the sixteenth, so I can take my time with some of them. Or will that make me fail? Gah! So many questions and so little answers." 

He exhaled sharply and bowed his head, eyes shut tight. When he opened them, they were fierce. "No choice but to play it safe and see. Isn't it obvious putting minimal effort is a fail? Don't you underestimate me Rose Orb!" He took off running into the jungle, a spontaneous change of determination welled up inside his small body. 

* * *

_"Well, a path is a path. Which we walk isn't always predetermined and there's no way of figuring out what lies at the end. We just have to keep going, then we'll have our answer. Only look forward and you can get further, keep looking back and all of your steps become hesitant. Question what you do and take slower steps, or even pause completely. Stay confident. Try your hardest without worrying if what you're doing is truly your destiny and you'll be running down that path towards a glittering future of open arms. You'll never know what you're capable of if you don't give it your all, fearing what is at the end. We're all walking that path of mystery, so don't be afraid. We all go down it together, so run."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ate chocolate while publishing this chapter. I hope you're proud of me.


	8. Auspicious Calamity - 7

_PK - Summer, 116, 0000_

* * *

Time flew and hours passed, soon bringing a new day creeping over the horizon marking the end of the tribulation. Day and night seemed nonexistent in the dream world, making just how much time had passed a mystery to the youth. A hazy mind was leftover of the numerous quests that had been completed in such a monotonous pattern. He endured the path of fate and felt welcomed by the silent darkness that swallowed his vision, telling him he was finished. 

His tail hung down and he pursed his lips, waiting alone for any sign of wakefulness. He heard a whisper in the back of his mind earlier, one telling him to be patient as the results were calculated. It was Engin's voice. Despite his disquiet, he had the inkling that his results would be positive. If not, then his life was now slipping through the cracks, and he would be embraced by Mia's breath of resurgence. Even with the prospect of release, he was euthymic. Those unfocused eyes just watched nothing in peace. There was a quirk of his lips and he found himself scoffing at the random thoughts passing through. One such thought was that girl, Cinnamon. Her sharp tongue made her a challenge to speak to, and no doubt her callous words could get her in trouble. She wasn't afraid to speak her opinion and spill blunt truths over folks like a bucket of ice water. 

"What a useless thing..." he murmured, his body becoming heavy. Slash gladly allowed his consciousness to fade. That psychogenic body and the world surrounding it was being abolished. It was time to welcome reality. 

  
  


Opening his eyes, Slash was met with the overwhelming sight of the Rose Orb, forcing him to squint from the sheer pinkness of it. Slash lifted his head and felt his whole body tense up. He hadn't moved in over twenty hours, his body had gone stiff and it was a challenge to move. He forced his limbs to move and he raised onto unsteady legs. He turned and eyed Engin as the fellow male stood.

Engin was far more graceful, recovering instantly, not seeming the least bit affected by the stiff muscles. He padded to the two females who were curled up by the clear water; Willow was fast asleep and Mohini in a daze. She was staring at the Lady's Crown with a distance enveloping her. The sunrise from behind gave them a soft golden glow. Mohini seemed to come back to her senses and turned to greet Engin. Willow cracked open an eye, "Welcome back." She lifted her head. "You've got no idea how boring this was for me. Honestly, no clue how Mohini does this constantly. Anywho, how did he do?"

All three turned to look at Slash. He returned them an odd expression and began some stretches to rid himself of tautness. Engin shook his head and sat beside the females. "It's up to Sapphire's Rose Orb. All I do is project the illusions into the pup's mind, not judge them. If it were up to me, nobody would fail. But, that's not how life works." 

"This is always the worst part," Mohini said. She had a pained look as she looked at the child. 

Slash's ears fell and his face went vacant. At that moment his mind reentered that noisy serenity where every thought was yelling but his senses blocked them out. Right. It was time to fly or fall. 

His ear twisted and his body went tense as he snapped around to face the Rose Orb. Behind him, the large orb had begun to radiate light. From the soft glow came a smoke-like aura slithering into the air and heading for Slash. The smoke coiled its way around the boy, entangling in his limbs, around his tail, body, and neck. Slash froze, unknowing. He shot a fretful glance to Willow, but she only looked on in silence. Engin merely nodded and Mohini had a small worried smile on her face. 

"It's alright, it might hurt a bit but it'll be over soon," Engin said, his dry voice bearing an unusual warmth to it. 

Slash's face darkened, the meaning behind Engin's words escaping him. Suddenly, the mist swirled and aimed for his back, and nerves were set alight. The muscles in his legs and back were stretched taut, and his tail flung between his legs, curling tightly around his thigh in its own mindless desperation to escape. His entire back felt like it was being skinned, a harrowing pain spreading. 

"A bit?!" he shrieked. The pain centered along his spine, spreading up his neck to the tip of his skull, right between his ears. His claws dug into the soil and he pressed his feet deep into the softness, leaving indents where he stood. 

But, only as soon as the pain finished spreading, it faded away and changed to a burn, and then into a warmth that fondled his throbbing back. No longer did it feel like his back was being shredded by a knife, burned by flame, or drenched in acid. Now a sensation of a light caressing crept along his back, soothing him.

He felt faint from the abrupt switch, his legs becoming jelly. Before he knew it he was forced back to his senses when his jaw met the ground. He lifted his head and shook, looking at his collapsed body puzzled. He noticed that the mist no longer coiled around his body, and he was left with a pleasant feeling. Just as Engin had said, it hurt, but it ended quickly. A swift process, but what that process was, he couldn't grasp with that exhausted brain of his. He suddenly didn't feel like hearing an explanation either. 

"That's quite a large one, isn't it?" Willow said, amused. Slash's ear flicked and he turned to the trio, a scowl forming on his face. They could have warned him it would be painful. He let his head thump onto the ground and proceeded to ignore her in exchange for enjoying the bliss of having passed. Maybe. "Come now, aren't you the least bit curious?" 

"About what?" 

"What your Sin Marking looks like, obviously!" She said it like it was obvious. "It defines you as a person, so aren't you curious just what that says about you? Frankly, I cannot even begin to fathom what your marking means..." she continued. 

Mohini chided, "Easy, Willow. You know the experience. Let him recover his energy."

Willow only snickered. He didn't need peace, he should've been eager to discover his destiny or his potential. One or the other. Slash could practically feel the nags rumbling inside her chest long before she uttered a single word. Rather than allow her that, he rolled off his side and stood. He raised an eyebrow at the group as if waiting for directions.

"Come to the water. Your reflection will display it." Engin said. "Although, first, I suppose I must congratulate you for passing. From here on out, you are to be a trainee and study under Willow's tutelage. She will raise you to be a fine Sin Scavenger." he continued. Slash tilted his head with inquisitive eyes and crept up to the lake. 

His heartbeat became faster as he peered into the crystal clear water, blinking at his own face staring right back at him. The marking wasn't on his face like Willow, but considering his back's agony, he could only sigh in defeat. He couldn't have a cool marking on his face, but rather one on his back. He twisted to the side and his whole body shuddered as he witnessed a mass of hot pink traveling down his back along his spinal cord. He tilted his head best he could to see the top of his head where the hot pink stripe began. 

It was a massive pink path, like the ones in his dreams. Beginning from his crown and ending at the base of his tail, the end of his spinal cord, it was a simple stripe not worth the sheer amazement he felt. His face slowly grew vacant as he thought about the meaning of the marking, and the relation it could have to the pathways in his dream. They were the same color. He knew it. They were identical. 

Moist eyes fell onto Willow, and Slash swallowed hard. "Willow, this mark is my destiny?" he choked out. 

"Destiny?" Willow observed the marking in closer detail, not taking any heed of the boy's emotional state. In her mind, it was natural that he would be overwhelmed. He had just faced death and no doubt he was happy beyond belief. "The marking we get indeed can show our destiny, but this is a bit vague. How could you tell this has to do with destiny and not your innate ability?" she asked. 

Slash blinked hard and gave her a firm look. "I saw this path!" he said. Willow tilted her head with a frown. "I saw them every night as I slept. Always. When I go to sleep I find myself ... in this darkness. I see so many paths spread before me, and they are all such a brilliant pink, so bright and they glow so much in that darkness." He jumped in place as if he just had a realization, "Do you know anything about the paths? You're supposed to be smart, right? Can you tell me?" 

"Okay, slow down." Willow put a paw over his nose and pushed his face down. "One thing at a time, let me process this." She heaved a sigh and looked to her companions for some support. "Umm, you say you see these things when you sleep? These pink lines all over the place? How vivid are these dreams to you?" 

"Unbearably. I never feel anything, but so many times have I seen the same scenery, and it's like I'm actually there in that space. The figures ... and the figures! They're always the same, but they're blank!" 

Engin shared a look with the girls, and finally spoke up, "It's your Dream Space. You just don't know how to stop walking into it." 

"Dream Space?" Slash echoed. All three nodded in unison. 

"You see, Demonic Wolves possess a location locked deep inside their mind known as a Dream Space. It's unknown exactly what a Dream Space is, but it manifests itself in our minds as a strange landscape of sorts. It's a place where our heart speaks to our mind, supposedly. I like to think of it as the manifestation of one's soul; their very consciousness whispering to their very own self." Engin explained. "Nobody understands the Dream Space, but if one has enough willpower, they can summon it, or dismiss it, as they please. They say that the landscape we see in that dream is the direct consequence of our fate. Our past, present, and future all combined into one twisted dimension beyond all understanding." 

"Oh..." Slash didn't get it at all, but he tried to act like he did. He would one day understand. One day. "Are there even any ideas about where the power came from?" 

Engin's face darkened and he shook his head. He turned to his sister. "Do you have a theory?" he asked. 

Willow's smirk grew in size, her smug aura intensifying. "One. A good one, I surmise." Willow popped to her feet and pranced around the group, "I had the idea that the Dream Space comes from the inconspicuous roots of the Amuma clan. Before you question me I have a terrific explanation for this." She paused and poked her elder brother on the nose, then bounced back. His nose twitched but he failed to react otherwise.

With a giggle, she continued, "All of us must possess some Amuma blood somewhere down our lineage, as clans have deeply intermingled to such a degree. All wolves have a fragment of every clan flowing through their veins. The Dream Space may be an attribute of the Amuma clan that became a solid genetic trait in Demonic Wolves’ very DNA." 

"So you think that Dream Spaces are an evolution of our species?" Engin asked. 

"A mutation, more or less. All creatures evolve slowly. Subtle changes once unnoticeable can become distinct over time. It just takes a nudge to notice the difference. Maybe once in the past, no demonic wolf possessed 'Dream Space' but the Amuma who by their very nature are intertwined with fate itself. Being able to read their own fate and utilize their seer abilities while sleeping seems convenient. I have no doubt that it's a trait of theirs." She said. Willow's words made sense, but her mouth didn't stop moving. 

"Those related to the Amuma might have inherited this ability by chance, similar to hybrids who inherit traits from multiple clans. Soon, that trait passed down to every descendant, and eventually, after thousands of years, passed onto every single demonic wolf as a common trait. Now here we are. All Demonic Wolves can now witness a fragment of their fate, but always ambiguously in their dreams." 

Okay, so that made sense. Maybe. But it was still a theory. Facts had nothing to do with what Willow had said, and it was only her opinions. Slash felt dizzy just trying to process the very concept of the Dream Space, so the dump of her theory downright gave him a headache. He decided not to worry about it and changed to the subject slightly. "So, do you have any idea what my Dream Space means?" 

"Nope," Willow admitted. "A large number of solid pink pathways with blank wolf figures standing at the beginning, right? In all honesty, that sounds creepy as fuck. I wouldn't want to stare at a bunch of featureless dummies all night long, that'd be too freaky." 

Slash nearly spat. Did she really just say that? "Yet I look at it every night!" Slash blurted. 

"True, true. But does understanding it make any difference at all?" she asked. Slash's face went blank and he blinked at her question. Does it make a difference? That was an excellent point. 

"Maybe not, but I think it'd give me peace of mind. I guess I'm not supposed to know yet," he said. "My brother says that knowing too much could be a curse in itself. Much more than any real curse's threat." 

"Wise of him, picking sanity over truth." Willow jested. She always had to have the last word, didn't she? Always with those unrestrained remarks. Something told him she and Cinnamon would be a frightening pair. 

Deciding to cut the discussion short, Engin called the group over to the stepping stones and began leaping across back to the vine and root bridge. 

As they walked, Slash looked out into the distance and observed the sun on the horizon. It was the same scene as when he walked up the bridge before, a beautiful sunrise dripping welcoming light onto a serene landscape full of singing birds and whispering winds. These ancient roots that the pack seemed to treat so delicately and cherish so much held strong as they descended. Even with wings these days, in the past they were unavailable and Sapphire had to use such means of getting around. Life in the past always seemed so pitiable. But, the pack takes so much pride in their roots, it's a medal of honor that they could exist since the first revolution and flourish all the way to the third unity. Old but sturdy, just like life itself. For thousands of years, these roots hung, and thousands of paws tread across them. 

Slash watched as a flock of birds took flight, rushing away from the treetops they once perched upon. They streamed into the sky, and Slash turned away and dismissed the sight. He stared at his paws as he walked.

"Hmm, I wonder if any of our current Medics would suit him, or should we try to find a newbie for him?" Willow mused, taking an askew glance at Mohini. The tan she-wolf just shrugged and hummed an obscure response. "Your Seisyll might be an option, eh?" 

"No way, as far as I can tell, that boy isn't made for this job. He'll scramble for a new job eventually." Mohini said. 

"So little faith in your own son..." Willow couldn't suppress the chagrin in her voice. 

Mohini shook her head, "He became a Medic out of fear of death. But, we both know that testing aside, Medics have a higher death ratio than Sin Scavengers. He really won't last long if he values his life. At the very least he'll get some experience with healing to take care of his fellows." Mohini then grit her teeth and shrugged. "You can't blame me for holding reservations about these slapdash decisions of his." 

Listening to them speak, Slash couldn't help but center in on the death ratio comment. He recalled Yazhu mentioning that becoming a Medic was just as dangerous as the job of a Sin Scavenger, but the details weren't withstanding. Just the statement alone wasn't enough. Slash pivoted and began strutting backward to face the women behind him. He couldn't keep it up and nearly slipped off the roots not watching where he was going. Mohini instantly rushed out to grab him by the scruff. Engin glanced away like it wasn't his problem, despite having hooked his hind leg around Slash's foot, ready to yank him back up. They weren't all that far from the treetops but it gave the adults a scare for sure. 

Mohini dragged the pup back to the middle of the bridge and gave him a quick scolding for his reckless action. Slash sank under her words but tried to shove the chiding away and brought up his inquiry instead. "Miss, what're the danger of being a Medic?"

"The dangers of a Medic?" Mohini repeated, tilting her head. "Are you curious about the Medic position? Of course, we can tell you, but dare I ask why?" 

"Oh, I just wanted to know. You and Yazhu both said that the job is dangerous, but how is being a healer any more dangerous than being a fighter?" Slash asked. Mohini narrowed her eyes and a shadow fell over her face. Slash suddenly grasped he had asked a grim question. "Um, it's okay if you don't really-" 

"No, it's actually important to know." Mohini interrupted. "There's a second, unofficial title for Medics, though not a very appealing one. Built off the bitterness and the mocking from both themselves and the demons around them. We are known as 'Bait'." 

"Not the most welcoming of alias', but a suiting one nonetheless," Engin added. Slash frowned. Seisyll quickly flashed into his mind. That boy really did throw himself into an even deeper hole than before. He could have been even the slightest bit smarter about his position. 

Mohini's darkened face screwed up as she continued, "Not many wolves like becoming Medics for that very reason. The position itself is very simple; just look after the Sin Scavenger and keep them from dying. The criteria are what's dangerous. By tradition, Medics are the first to enter the fray and draw attention to themselves in the battle to take the load off the thin-skinned allies who cannot heal themselves. Medics are also used as lures, leading Sin Lions astray, often right to the ambush ready Sin Scavenger." 

"Most Medics simply loathe dying meaninglessly through the Rose Orb. As a Medic, they can at least perish with honor. Though, there are those who perform both positions so it ends up a moot point in their case." Engin said. 

"Like Willow?" Slash asked. 

"Yes, like Willow. And Sefu as well, who is the only Sapphire Wolf around who can match her stride. Or is it the other way around?" 

Willow finally got her chance to gloat, "I went through both the Rose Orb's examination and Mia's Ritual. It's considered quite the hefty trial, so I'm pretty amazing." Slash squinted at her, obviously not getting the supposed glory in everything. Willow just tittered and explained to him, "Medics undergo very strict regiment, but spend most of their inauguration up on mount Hysa where the 'Pools of Innocence' are located as well as our 'Goddess Sigil' for Mia. You need to form a blood seal with her and form a spiritual connection, too. You dedicate yourself to her church in the process and need to recite religious texts while meditating. All in the name of healing powers." 

"Can demons be born with healing powers naturally, or develop them themselves?" Slash asked. 

Willow confirmed the case. "But the ones from Mia are safer to use. When healing, those without Mia's blessing will draw their power from their own energy reserves and become exhausted upon healing larger injuries. Those with Mia's blessings don't get tired and draw energy from their environment. Either way, you need to learn how to channel that energy, and it's far more difficult than one would let on. Understanding the way the body works and how to transmute raw energy is essential, so usually, it's a scholarly position." 

"And Sin Scavengers are nothing but brutes, only learning how to bash skulls in," Mohini said, a slight jeer in her tone. Her eyes sparkled with a youthful mischievousness. 

"Heh, these skull bashing fellows are the ones keeping the order," Willow said, jeering right back at her. The two then giggled. "Of course, you're failing to remember that you Medics are trained just as vigorously as we scavengers are in combat. No frail flowers here. Hehe."

Those girls, they really made no sense. Banter disguised as insults, right? Engin and Slash both turned their nose up at their words and carried on down the bridge. As they walked, the girls carried on their talking, and Engin carried on his silence, and Slash his musing. 

The group passed through the now familiar dark tunnel and made their way back to the Chamber. Upon entry, many of the pack members froze and turned to see their return, eyes large and curious. Some seemed to chirp to one another in joy, others giving a quiet approving nod and going back to their work. Slash stiffened at the unexpected reactions, blinking himself back to Mirror. 

"He succeeded?!" a voice shouted. Slash nearly leapt out of his skin and whipped around to see who shouted; a female with tri-colored fur. She bolted to the group and skidded to a halt just before Slash, bowing her head enthusiastically in greeting. Her tail nearly made dust fly with how fast it was wagging. Slash tried to return her cheery look, but it fell into a crooked half baked smile. 

"Congratulations! I noticed you earlier during the ceremony, and when Gwen came to greet you. You looked new and smelled kind of weird so I assumed you were a new charge! Sure enough here you are with such a big beautiful Sin Marking. Are you working under Willow or someone else? Congratulations Willow, you have two disciples!" She paused and her face went blank. "I need to tell Gwendolen this. Hold on, I'll wake her up and spread the message. I'll be right back!" 

She then took off like a lightning bolt into the fog, vanishing just as abruptly as she appeared.

Slash stood with his mouth wide open. Finally shaking himself of his bewilderment, he turned to Willow. "Who was that?" he asked. 

"You'll see." She assured. Engin gave off an irritated grunt and stalked back into the fog with the rest of the pack. "Grump. But, I'll need to tell you that she's a girl with a high position in the pack. Be respectful to her regardless of how she behaves. That odd duck is way stronger than she lets on." 

Slash nodded obediently. He perked up and noticed there were less moving bodies than before, some of the members missing. He wondered where they all went, but he recalled he had been comatose for an entire day, so many could have left for jobs. There were also many nooks and crannies for them to slip into, so naturally, he wouldn't see all. 

"I saw the nursery was hidden well in the wall, so how many more rooms are there in here?" he asked. 

"Well, there's the nursery, the prayer room, the purifier den, the treasury which leads to the vault and the library, then the alpha's den. In the tunnels there's the- You know what the tunnel rooms aren't a part of your question let's leave those out." Willow pranced into the chamber, her tail twitching. "Anyway, you won't be sleeping in any rooms, as only the special members like new mothers and their pups, the purifier, and the alphas get their own spaces. Everyone else just sleeps here in the Chamber." She motioned to the wide-open space that everyone was roaming about. Some bodies were still lying asleep on the ground as their comrades tiptoed around them. 

Slash gazed at the figures and then peeked at Willow from the corner of his eye, "There's a prayer room?" 

"Yes, where we pray to Taavet and give her our thanks. But, also we pray for assistance, luck, and hope." Mohini said. Both Willow and Slash turned to her, seemingly just remembering that she was still there. The old woman was quiet as a cat. "I can show you, and we can pray together if you wish." 

"Pray together?" Slash pondered the idea but held off as he spotted Gwendolen and the tri-colored female approaching out of the corner of his eye. "I would love that, but not now," he answered. 

"Good morning~!" Gwendolen called. She padded over to the trio and sniffed a greeting at the pup in particular. Slash wagged his tail and returned a 'good morning' back to her. To him, time felt irrelevant. He'd get back into the swing of things soon. "Willow, Mohini, good to see you both. Not that it was a long departure, but very good to see you. The boy looks well!" Gwendolen meandered around them and observed Slash from every angle, taking in his marking. The awake wolves were always shifting about trying to take a gander at the pup's new marking. 

"A big one," Gwendolen said finally.

"Yup, it's a destiny marking too." He chimed. Gwendolen gave a click of her tongue and backed away from him, tilting her head. It sounded like it was quite unusual to have such a massive marking, this only made Slash feel uneasy. He stood out more than he'd like to. Plus, it was a destiny marking rather than a combat one, which only added to the curiosity regarding it. 

"Well, for the next week, until the first day of winter, you won't be able to train so you'll have to bide your time," Gwendolen said. "I'd like you to get to know the territory, so perhaps you should take a walk outside and enjoy the cool air before the sun warms us up." 

"Oh! How about he comes with me? Nothing says I can't take him on patrol." the tri-colored female said. Slash peeked at her and then at Willow with a knit brow and reeled back ears. As if rejecting his query, she flipped away and padded off with Mohini in tow leaving him wide-eyed. He whipped around and looked at the female and then Gwendolen. 

The alpha just chuckled, and the female bounced up to Slash, stopping just short of his face. "It's okay! No doubt here that we're kind. I promise I'll take good care of you. Also, don't you worry about a thing, I know the territory like the pads of my paw!" she went blank again. "Actually..." she raised her paw to inspect her paw pads. 

_'She's crazy.'_ That was the only thing his brain screamed at him. He took a cautious step back to regain some personal space. "So, what's your name?" 

She slammed her paw back to the ground and gave him a stern look. "Saira Two-tone. The leader of the Scout and Patrol positions. Head Enchanter of the pack and ace huntress." her answer was sharp and actually gave the impression she wasn't a complete clown. She continued, much calmer than before, "You know, Willow has her own specialties but there's other stuff that she struggles with. I'm much better with botany than she could ever be. I also know a lot about geography, something Willow doesn't like." she said. 

"Saira is the best Scout we have and she's an excellent Patrol wolf as well." Gwendolen started. "You can become her apprentice in either of those positions if you want, I promise she will teach you well. Patrol wolves handle hunting our food and securing our border among other things. Currently, it's the position we're most desperate to fill, so I'd like it if you studied under Saira in Patrol." It genuinely did seem like they needed more wolves. For a whole Zone to be looked after by only a handful of wolves; the numbers didn't add up. Slash gave her a nod. Gwendolen gave a smile of approval and turned to the she-wolf. "Saira, you ought to take care of him." 

"Yes, ma'am." Saira straightened up and her voice was strong but clear. 

Slash eyeballed the she-wolf up and down and took in her presence. She was incredibly energetic, but she was exuding a suppressed dominance that made the pup's chest feel tight. He could tell that what Willow had said was true. This girl was powerful and worthy of respect. Her fur was unusual, though. Her fur was mint, and on top of that mint were black and white markings, which were so oddly placed. On one side were black markings and on the other side white markings. She was split straight down the center in a perfect line. Any marking that stretched across the invisible line would instantly become the opposite side's color. That was probably why her second name is Two-tone. 

Still, she was astounding. A beautiful woman indeed. Her personality was a bit fickle, however. 

"Slash," Gwendolen called. "Saira here is a member of the Two-tone family, which is the second branch of Sapphire. The Hornet family and the Two-tone family are to be respected greatly, understood? Their blood has been loyal to this pack ever since Sapphire ran into Twister, one of her closest friends and loyalist companion." 

"I understand," Slash said. Gwendolen tilted her head and peeked at Saira. The two seemed to have a silent exchange and Gwendolen turned to leave. Then, he was left all alone with Saira. He looked at her, feeling a blob of something build up in his chest. He pressed his lips together and lowered his head. 

Saira just smiled at him, "You'll be fine! To give you a quick rundown on what we're gonna do, just expect a whole lotta climbing, a whole lotta walking, and a whole lotta looking around at random things! The others in the group are ... well, you'll learn about them later. It's probably too many names for someone who just got out of the test so let's just take it easy. Think of your first patrol as a walk to understand our borders. You don't have to memorize anything yet so feel free to take it easy and focus on keeping up with us." 

"We're going to be climbing? Do we have to check the whole mountains?!" 

"Not really, the inner parts of the Lady's Crown are watched over by the attack rabbits so we don't need to worry about that!" 

"The attack whats." 

"We'll only be looking at the very outer mountains of the Lady's Crown and scouring the outer parts of the Sordid Savannah. Before you ask, it's the name of the big Savanna in the Zone north of Puella. A lot of super cool animals and beasts live there! Plus there's a lot of bridges so we won't be going up and down all of them; then there are the tunnels. Patrols often overlap with inspections by the Tunnel Managers so the positions work together. All Tunnel Managers have the Patrol position tacked on their name for that reason." 

"Will I get to see the savanna? Wait, what is a savanna anyway?" 

"A dry meadow. It's basically a large area of tall arid grass and few trees," she said. "I can teach you a lot about ecosystems and about the continent as we go if you want!" 

"That'd be cool, but for now I just wanna go over the stuff I learned last time about Sin Lions and Medics with Willow." 

"Gotcha! Okay, I'll go get my patrol ready so we can leave, we're already behind schedule so I'll be right back! Get prepared!" she shouted before taking off. Slash jumped to his feet and staggered as he attempted to chase, but instead sighed. He watched as she sprinted back and forth, gathering a group of four unfamiliar wolves. Well, one was familiar, but he'd never been introduced; only saw Gwendolen speaking with him. With a group of strangers, what was there to talk about? He didn't feel very well about the idea of interacting with these wolves, but he knew he'd have to get used to the members anyway. This was his pack now, and these were his future comrades. He'd find some way. 

Sitting with nothing to do, Slash found himself reminiscing about the days before his departure. Fang and those girls... whenever he thinks about them his stomach fills with knots. His mind wandered. _'I wonder how they're doing ... how're they treating him?'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter of the first arc and marks the beginning of the wait for the next arc to be written! This first arc is basically the introduction arc and gets you settled into the world of Mirror and kind of gets you settled before slapping you in the face with the plot. Honestly, the main characters are dorks. If you didn't realize who the story focuses on, the main group is: Slash, Cinnamon, Seisyll, Willow. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading! Feedback, comments, kudos and more are welcome! Anything will make my day!
> 
> Next Arc: Sacred Hellfire.


	9. Sacred Hellfire - 1

_PK - Summer, 116, 0000_

* * *

The dark, wet sand was ridden with pawprints as a she-wolf dark as a starless night stepped along the shore. Her dazed, tired eyes glanced into the horizon, clear skies, and a chilling breeze that blew through thick fur. She halted and stared into the distance. 

"Millicent," a voice called. The dark she-wolf about-faced and peered at Fang, who stood atop the rocks at the edge of the beach. Her shoulders sagged as she met his eyes. 

"So? How's it looking?" Riley asked. Angelica shook her head and rolled up the scroll she was investigating. Despite ferreting all of the scrolls she could, nothing gave her a clue about their dilemma. All she could do was yield to the facts. 

"It'll be another couple days to our journey, but going around the Garden of Death is the best option. All of the flora within Lylow is ridden with toxins and hallucinogens; we'd lose our lives or our sanity before making it out of there. It'd be another story if we could fly, but Fang hasn't discovered his wings yet," Angelica said. She stood and nosed at some scrolls, but her face turned sour as she simply put them away. 

"It'd be nice if we had a Drip, but we don't," Riley muttered.

Angelica smiled at her sister with grit teeth and continued organizing the luggage. She tarried as she noticed two figures, Fang and Millicent, approach. "Welcome back," she said. 

"Did you have any luck?" Fang asked. Angelica shrugged while Riley grumbled and whipped her head away. Yeah, they weren't making any progress; however, it may just be the bad news. He already understood, "We'll be dealing with setbacks?" 

"Lylow is best avoided. The place is laced with so many threats that it's ridiculous to even attempt to get through. Not without a Drip, at least. The consequences are considerable," Angelica said. Fang frowned and opened his mouth but she cut him off before even a breath had been drawn. "I know that it'll take longer, but there are no other options. It's not worth the risk." Her eyes glowed as she telekinetically wrapped a strong, thin rope around the scrolls and set them back inside the leather pack. "Lylow is special. It's a 'Garden of Death' used back in the warring eras to cultivate poisonous plants for, well, poison. The place was designed to kill, but we don't need it anymore so it's just a deadly thorn in our side." 

"By the way, these scrolls are really informative. You must've had very intelligent parents." Riley remarked, an eyebrow raised. 

Fang raised his head, "I'd like to agree, but it's all a matter of experience. My mother has traveled the globe and seen every corner of the world. She took notes on everything she came across that eventually became a bunch of tomes that are hidden away in a library. The ones here are just simplified for personal usage." 

"I see. How studious of her." Riley gave a sardonic grin and flicked her tail. 

"Yeah," Fang spun around and backtracked to where they had come from. "Since we've come to a conclusion, it's about time we took to the road and make as much progress before nightfall as possible, including finding temporary shelter for the night," he said. The sisters nodded and gathered up the stuff they brought along. Most of Fang's valuable belongings were held in two large packs connected to two wooden trays that could be worn over the back of a wolf. The one unlucky enough to get stuck carrying Fang's baggage was Angelica, whom Fang said could use the extra exercise to build up some muscle. They left the grove they paused in and headed back to the trail they were treading earlier. Riley took lead and steered the group towards Lylow. 

After some time of walking, Fang eyed the girls carefully, looking them up and down, taking up the rear of their line. As the strongest, his natural position was the back. His eyes were half-lidded. _'Nearly three days of travel and nothing. So far, they haven't shown any signs of being a threat. They're, so far, just a group of girls without much life skills.'_ His shoulders tensed and he focused on Riley. _'They aren't dangerous, so why do I feel so anxious? What is it about them that ticks wrong? Was it what Slash said? That boy has never been wrong before, but...'_ He flipped his sights to the sky above, and sent up silent prayers to the God's Realm.

He stared with a bored expression. There were enough clouds to consider it overcast, with only a few holes in the mass of silver to flash off the fair blue sky. Just one more day until autumn and the sky becoming a rich cerulean shade. He squinted and lowered his head. "I don't think we have to worry about having a roof over our heads. There may be a cluster above us, but there are no signs of rain." 

"Really? That's good. I don't know if we'd be lucky enough to happen upon a conveniently placed cave or not," Angelica said. 

"Obviously not! Stuff like that only happens in fairytales. Keep your nose out of so many books," Riley remarked. Angelica pursed her lips and scratched dirt up from the ground. Knowing of her sister's fuss, Riley yielded a big overdramatic yawn, flashing off all of her large white teeth before shutting again. "Either way, we're going to have to keep walking. Getting rained on sounds like the least of our problems." 

"Could I ask why we're heading to Tummajoki? If I'm correct, that's a port city in the southeastern regions of this continent. Demonic wolves don't usually live in places like that so why?" Fang asked. 

"We're heading to Tummajoki not to live there, but to meet up with a friend of ours really quick. They're a demon that lives in the port city working at the docks. We just need to speak with him for a moment before we head back up to the forests nearby." Riley explained. 

Angelica backpedaled over to Fang's side and ambled beside him. "As for why we're heading Southeast in general, it's because of less competition! Most Demonic Wolf packs like to congregate to the center of Central, in the zones around Algus, and approaching the Barren Solitude. They prey up there is more plentiful and there're fewer cities where others live, so a more natural environment to live in. Despite being demons all the same I guess we really are animal-like. But, thanks to dealing with the cities and the colder winters, the region around Tummajoki is ideal for a new pack. Tons of prey, tons of land, and some pretty cool neighbors!" 

"The only downside would be watching out for hunters! Those bastards like to sell our fur on the black market and turn us into a fancy coat..." Riley growled. Angelica pouted and pitter-pattered her way up to her sister. The two exchanged some words and left Fang from the conversation now. Those two were always at each other's throat, but that was normal for sisters, he supposed. 

Fang decided to zone the girls out, closing his eyes and listening to the surroundings instead. He could hear the buzzing of cicadas and the crumbling of the gravel under their paws as they walked. Fang sometimes found himself wonder about how life came about, and how each thing developed, becoming what it was today. Time flowing, life evolving, the diversity of everything. It was mysterious and beautiful and he wanted nothing more than to learn as much as possible about his world. But, as for learning about life itself...

It was pointless.

The meaning of life is simply life. To figure out a deeper meaning is to go against nature itself; an attempt to stand on the same ground as the gods. Fang craved knowledge, but he also craved enigma. The questions that whittled away in the back of one's mind possessed a distinct fascination about them, as they would always be there inexplicably, yet they could never be answered. Not even a million years could answer the one question of the universe. Why? 

That tragic glory, it was mystifying. Every time he thought back to those things his heart would flutter. He didn't care what others thought, it was his philosophy and he liked the concept of it. Some questions are just best left unanswered. That's how it was. A perfect balance. 

Eventually, he returned to the world of the living from the nook in his mind and joined the girls again in their conversations. The day passed by like that, talking, joking, pondering, and complaining. The group continued to travel until the evening glazed the sky, the sun dipping down past the horizon, letting the world pain itself in warm hues of the sunset. In the sky, the waning moon appeared and the many flickering lights of distant suns appeared in the ensuing darkness. They had come upon a quaint grotto hidden away from the trail and settled down for the night. The foliage above and around was thick and smelled of Blue-stemmed goldenrod. The scent of white sage from the trail beside the grotto wafted into the little space, creating an aromatic serenity. 

Angelica strode over and set the makeshift backpack beside a Northern Spicebush shrub. She and the others sniffed around for any signs of previous occupants and all checked out alright. "Seems we're in the clear," Angelica said. Her sisters both nodded and the three rested in the shade, enjoying their new secret paradise. Though summer was now reaching its end, there was still enough heat to make the shade a blessing. 

"Though ... I still worry about running into a pack. The further inland we go, the more packs we'll risk running into. Traveling along the ocean and passing through port cities along the way will reduce our chances significantly, but since Lylow spreads down to the water's edge for over seven miles, it's impossible for us to keep doing this, huh," Angelica said. 

"Unless we swam. Milly is bound to be excellent at that, but we have those damned scrolls to worry about," Riley said. Millicent's ears swiveled and she shrugged, an awkward frown distorting her features. "Swimming for over a mile while having to hold up a bunch of scrolls already sounds like a task let alone seven miles. We can't hire a boatman at all since the Diana Penninsula forbids residential development by the law of the Axis." 

"So around it is?" Fang asked.

"Around it is," Riley affirmed. "Honest, I don't see what the problem is about inland packs. The ones nearby I know are okay with travelers, as long as we don't cause a fit it should be alright. Worst case scenario we have to do them a favor in exchange for trespassing their land but it's not a bother." 

"The real worst scenario is they're unwilling to yield. We have to fight our way through." Millicent muttered. "Also," she activated her telekinesis, her eyes glowing a deep red and connecting to both her sisters. Riley's face shadowed over, a firm scowl appearing. Millicent cut off the connection and shifted onto her side, gaze held at her paws. "With that in mind, we should tread carefully." 

"I guess," Angelica mumbled. The trio seemed disheartened for a sharp moment, but their usual attitudes crept back up within an instant. "It's getting late, should we get ready to sleep?" 

"Yeah, but I need to check the sky first. See how safe we are here." Fang said as he stood up. He backtracked out of the hidden grove and back onto the trail where the clouds could be seen. His eyes stared up at that overcast scene and for a while he stood there silently, watching, thinking. Once he got what he came for, he spun back around and ambled back into the little space and flopped at the entrance. "We're good. Nothing will happen until the morning." 

"Until the morning? Is something going to happen?" Riley asked. 

"Yeah, something will. But be it friend or foe I'm not sure. It could even be something like finding prey. It just read there was an encounter for the morning." 

The sisters were silent. Riley's lips curled and she growled. "Those powers can be obnoxiously vague! Can't you get a clearer reading?!" 

"Well, I was thinking of taking you girls out hunting in the morning so if that makes you feel any better..." Riley huffed in frustration and tapped her claws on the ground. Guess it didn't. "You don't need to worry, you won't get hurt," Fang said. Riley muttered something breathily, too quiet for Fang to hear and she pulled back her lips revealing tightly clenched teeth. Any harder and she'd probably shatter her teeth. Fang tried to ease her from her anxiety and so far it seemed to be working as she resorted to rolling onto her back and flailing her limbs uselessly into the air and squirming into the dirt. Her snowy pelt was now sullied by the soil. She kept complaining of how annoying traveling was and that she couldn't wait to reach their destination and just settle down where they didn't have to worry about anything. 

She was that sort of complainer, always frustrated at things that didn't go smoothly. Life was a bumpy road she loathed taking with all her heart. But it was the only road available so she had to suffer. Fang kept assuring her that she and her sisters wouldn't have to worry about a thing, as they could probably talk their way out of any situation. Demonic wolves were a reasonable bunch, right? Not like the followers of ... him. 

Regardless, the sun faded and the sky darkened, and the group finally found their footing in the night, relaxing and talking themselves down with jokes and gossip. The sisters were older and more world-weary, knowing a lot. But one's experience didn't always add up to wisdom. Fang listened to them listlessly talking about 'troubles' they endured that were partly caused by Riley's own insolence. She acted sweet once before, but ones she discovered Fang's sight of liars she disposed of the sugary facade and carried on selfishly and bitterly. That was her true nature and now she had no issues displaying that in full. Her eyes were set on survival and she would do anything to live easily. That's what she said truthfully, and he believed she was a stubborn princess inside. 

He quickly got bored of the sister's stories and rolled over to show his back to them. He sighed and sunk into a curled position and closed his emerald eyes. Those heavy lids refused to open once they shut, and he slipped away from their whispers in a heartbeat. He let sleep wash over him. It was a good night. 

~~_________~~

Four wolves trekked through the silent land, a beige male leading the patrol with heavy steps, unafraid to assert himself. The group sniffed around and looked for any signs of trespassing or potential threats to their territory. Even in the darkness, their keen eyes missed not a single twitch of leaves or sound of breathing. They kept forward in the night, ears perked. The leader of the patrol came to a dead stop as his sights fell on a peculiar sight. "Hold on!" he called, stopping his patrol in their tracks. "Look over there; something on the ground ahead." 

"What is it?" Another male stepped up and examined the route ahead and noticed the disturbance. A pile of bones laid stacked in the middle of their pathway, so neatly it was unnerving. The male frowned and turned to his patrol leader, "Should we be concerned?" 

"Unless it's from our own, that's a possibility," he said wandering closer. "What d'you think of it? A problem or a midnight snack unheralded?" he led the group closer and they soon surrounded the mysterious set of bones. The animal -or demon- they came from was a mystery as they clearly didn't form a proper skeleton. The beige male watched as his patrol all took turns sniffing the bones while surveying the surrounding area. The group gradually grew more frustrated as they stumbled back and forth between the pile and the surroundings trying to pick up a viable scent. "Is there something wrong?" 

"We can hardly get a clue of the animal let alone the perpetrator. At the very least I can assure you this isn't the work of our packmates, sir." the first wolf said, a grimace creeping across his face. The other two dimly agreed, seeming a bit lost on the situation. "But, the work of this just doesn't say scavenger," he muttered, uneasy. He shifted his weight and rocked a bit on his feet as he stared at the dross left on the path. The bones were stripped clean of every scrap of meat and not so much as a drop of blood was left, let alone the scent of blood. It was clean, too clean. No fur, no scratches, no anything. Not even a smell. It was just bones of ambiguous origin lying within their territory. Whoever was behind this were a master at remaining enigmatic for not a clue was left behind. However, what was their motive?

"It doesn't matter, honestly. If some loners or even a demon left these behind it doesn't concern us. Just bury them. They're useless dross and we have no usage for them." the beige wolf said. He nodded to his partner and urged the other two to continue on their patrol. "We're going on, just catch up with us once you're finished. No dallying!" 

The other bowed his head and kept his head bowed as the other ran ahead with their two comrades at his side, leaving him alone with the rather creepy leftovers. He only lifted and stared into the distance after they vanished into the shadows between the maple trees. His lip twitched and he huffed under his breath. Why did something like this have to happen on his night on patrol? Why not on the other's nights? 

He began to dig a hole while muttering curses. His mind wandered between how the perpetrator managed to leave no scent or clues and why he had to stay back and do this by himself. He glared at the pile from the corner of his eye, taking a moment to question his whole life. He was getting bad vibes. His muddied paws were planted firmly in the shallow hole of about several inches and he decided selfishly that it was deep enough. It wasn't a grave he was digging, it was just to dispose of trash. That's it. He decided to toss all of his negative thoughts into the hole as well, bidding them a well-deserved farewell. 

As he buried the bones, his attention darted back and forth between shadows, getting antsy over every small rustle. Most of the noises were mice and bullfrogs croaking from the pond nearby but it was still wrecking his nerves. He took a deep breath and straightened his posture, trying to give off the airs of a strong, brave, and independent male, which was not the case at the moment.

He bolted after his patrol, hoping to catch up if he ran fast enough, but he was brought to a sudden halt by a loud crackling noise just behind him. He skidded and sent mulch flying and he pivoted and glared in the direction of the noise. His fur bristled and his pupils became minuscule dots. His pulse pounded in his ears and his head went all foggy. His tail was stiff as he tiptoed back to where he had been. This wasn't a good idea. Those bones were unusually warm for something abandoned. He felt that while burying them. 

He didn't even realize he was no longer breathing, his focus entirely on shifting all his senses into high gear, the adrenaline pouring into his bloodstream intensifying every slow-moving second. He swallowed nothing down a dry throat and stiffened as the rustling started up again, some shrubs in the distance disturbing the suspense.

No scent. Nothing. 

_'I knew you were still here! Bastard!'_ His whole body shuddered and he took off in the direction of the noise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My mood has been very down. Very depressed today and just felt like updating cause I have literally nothing else to do with my life other than sitting here bedridden with a chronic illness and write a story that's been swimming in my brain for the last 10 years.
> 
> Sorry if there were mistakes, please point any out to me in the comments if you can. I greatly appreciate any comments even if they're just insults cause that means people actually read this thing. Feedback and kudos also appreciated. Have a good day, everyone. I hope you're healthy, happy, and capable of sleeping and eating.  
> Me... I sleep a little too much. Hehe... (I have hypersomnia which makes me sleep a ton. Can't work properly with it. Not as bad as something like narcolepsy but still annoying.)


	10. Sacred Hellfire - 2

_PK - Summer, 117, 0000_

* * *

The morning sun shined gentle pale light down on the planet, stirring most life from slumber while sending the rest to sleep. Fang yawned and stretched his legs taut for a solid several seconds before letting them relax and thump back on the ground. He blinked his bleary eyes and stood up. Once on his feet, he gave a shake in an attempt to throw off any drowsiness. He blinked and glanced over to the girls who were already awake and seemed to be wrapped up in a telepathic conversation, with Millicent up and sniffing around. 

"What is it?" Fang asked. 

Riley glanced back at him and frowned, "Breakfast, Fang. We were waiting for you to get up so we could go hunting. We don't fast as you do so hurry and get up." 

Fang's nose flared and he stepped away from his spot and towards the grove's edge. "Sorry," he muttered. "Are you saying for me to get you something?" He tilted his head expectantly, awaiting their answer. Riley and Angelica nodded in unison, Millicent rolling her eyes. Fang smirked and flicked his tail. "Right ... have you girls ever tried fishing before? Just curious." 

Angelica took a hot look at her sisters before laughing. "No, we haven't. Why ask?" his question sounded pretty ridiculous. Fish weren't a Demonic Wolf's usual diet. Red meats and fruits were their favorite. They were omnivores despite the reputation of canines being carnivorous, their stomachs built for breaking down both kinds of food.

Fang paused and thought for a while, shifting through his options. After a bit, he came to a decision. "Why don't you girls come and watch me hunt? I can show you how to fish and how to hunt large prey together." He padded over and grabbed Riley by the scruff, yanking her to her feet without warning. The she-wolf snarled at him and backed off once he let go. Her face screwed up in annoyance as he merely smiled at her. 

"Why do we need to accompany you? With your size and strength shouldn't even dragons be a breeze?" Riley said. 

Fang pivoted and gave the she-wolf a sharp look over his shoulder. "I can't tell if you're scared of failure or just being lazy. Either way, you will come if you want a choice meal. If not, then I will collect Fire Moles for all of you." he said, a twisted grin spread across his muzzle. "If you are lazy, I can fix that. Bad? I can fix that." Fang made sure to assure them he wasn't lying, and then strutted his way back onto the trail. "Don't forget our stuff!" he called back. The sisters gawked for a minute, then started nervously shuffling around and gathered their things, faltering a moment before chasing after Fang. Their anxiety peeked, the subtle threat tickling them a bit too hard. 

The group hiked through the trail and scampered into the woods, carefully checking for any scent markings before continuing. Fang lowered himself to a near crouch and sniffed the air lightly, taking in any prey scents wafting through the air, stuck to any breeze. His body was quiet, each step hardly shifting the woodland mulch out of place. The woods were serene, not much going on. It was peaceful for a dawn morning. Continuing to breathe in the surroundings, he squinted and straightened up.

"Nearby." That was the only hint he gave them. The sisters, who were keeping low and quiet behind him, all perked up. The didn't want to disturb him or mess anything up, but they had no choice but to follow out of fear of the Fire Mole threat. It was the spiciest animal alive, secreting a terrible oil over the surface of its skin that set one's mouth on fire. Poor Angelica had it the hardest, wobbling from trying to balance her weight with the backpack strapped on. 

"Ah, um, can I ask what we're going after?" Angelica asked, her legs trembling slightly. 

"Nothing too difficult." He seemed unperturbed as he casually spun around to face them, kicking up some of the mulch and whacking a fern with his tail. Taking this as a cue they could relax, the girls stood properly. Well, Riley and Millicent did. Angelica flopped onto her side with a squeak sending a bundle of scrolls tumbling out of her pack. "Just a Valkoinen Moose. It's a good challenge and it won't be too difficult to take down either." 

"Valkoinen Moose? Could you really find one?" Millicent asked. Fang shrugged. He didn't know or care, to be honest. 

Meanwhile, Angelica flung herself off the ground and grunted as she stumbled back away from the group. Another bundle of scrolls slipped out of the pack and onto the ground. Fang's mouth twitched and he flipped around and hasted off, the other two sisters following posthaste. 

"I'm sure. They're a healthy population these days. You ladies better get yourselves in gear. Moose are pretty large, after all." 

"But so are you!" Riley shouted. "Besides, why does it need to be a Valkoinen? They're nothing but a nuisance to hunt. We can't even use our powers against them." 

"That's precisely why we're going up against one. You won't be able to use cheap abilities to conquer your meal. Instead, you'll be putting genuine effort into hunting. Being immune to all forms of demonic energy, including magic and telekinesis ... that makes them perfect for physical training, right?" 

"You're the type to embark hellacious training segments," Riley remarked. "I hate the Valkoinen branch. They just make everyone's lives harder." 

Angelica rushed to catch up with them and added, "Valkoinens will eventually replace animal life as we know it, and there's nothing you can do about it. Besides it isn't just demonic energy they're immune to; they can't be affected by unnatural death as a whole. The only things that can kill them are illness and disease, old age, injuries, and starvation. They can't drown, only suffocate, they can't be burned, only starve. They're just that sort of thing." 

"I do wonder, though." Millicent tilted her head, eyeing the treetops as she spoke. "Can demons like us be apart of the Valkoinen branch?" 

"Rarely," Fang said. "You'd be able to tell at a glance since all Valkoinen are solid white and possess solid black eyes. But, if a Demonic Wolf were Valkoinen, they'd be one of the most dangerous creatures alive." 

_'How did we even get on this subject?'_ Riley pondered. 

**~~______________~~**

After finding and hunting their meal, they ate and traveled some more along a stream where they cleaned up their pelts and relaxed to digest. Angelica proved to be the worst at hunting while Millicent was the most efficient. Not to mention Angelica was the biggest eater of the group despite her tiny figure. Fang had avoided eating, stubborn to keep up his traditions. They had no clue where they exactly were anymore as they were too preoccupied with tracking their prey and finding a place to wash off. 

Fang glanced upward and stared at the thin leaves hanging from the tree branches overhead. They were beginning to wilt as summer came to a sluggish end and autumn was creeping up for the harvest season. Soon all of those wilted leaves would change colors and enrich the forest's palette with all sorts of beautiful warm hues. One of the leaves dropped from the branch and strayed to the stream, getting then carried off with the slow current. His eyes followed the small leaf as it drifted down and out of view. 

"Have any clue where we ended up?" Angelica asked between splashes. Her whole face and chest were soaked and her paws covered in mud from the bottom of the stream. Fang heeded her but didn't give any response; only a sigh escaped him. Where they were was the last of his concerns. He was wary of any peculiar scents but if they were already neck-deep they wouldn't find any scent markers but they would scent the residents themselves. He couldn't smell a single demon having crossed the area in the last month so there was that breath of air. He was far too preoccupied with guiding the girls on their hunt to worry about where they were treading. 

He stared at the ground. Finally, he turned to the girls to voice that unease, "Come on, girls." he flicked his tail for them to follow and he turned away from the stream. His paws sank slightly in the moist, dark soil as he slunk away. "I'm getting a sense of foreboding so I'd rather not stay any longer. We're moving." The girls perked up and finished up with the stream and swiftly followed. Their chatting was silenced and they walked with a heavy air swallowing any good feelings. In complete silence, they carried on through the thin woods and back to the trail they had recently left.

The girls could almost taste that Fang was treating that neutral territory like a lifeline. The sisters all peeked at one another and nodded in unison. That sudden urge to leave was a good proposition. Fang was never wrong in judgment, always knowing what calls to make. But, what was he uneasy about? They weren't in pack territory and the place hadn't seen travelers even in a long time. All scents were stale. 

"Fang, what's making you- us leave?" Angelica asked. 

"No clue. It's just my instincts. Not even the clouds told me to leave. I just got a gut feeling." But God knows that Slash had a better one than him, picking fate apart like plucking feathers from wings. But, this sensation, it rattled him to his core and made his whole body feel like it was being sucked dry. "I just don't want to stay here anymore. Let's go to Lylow quickly." 

"That was the plan, but still you're being weird." Riley raised her hackles and crept closer to him. "The clouds gave us no reason to worry and yet you insist on a bad feeling? Are you sure you're not just being anxious?" she accused. 

"I've not been wrong?" Fang shot back. Riley's eye twitched and she swung her head away. She fell back into step with Angelica. Fang sighed. "I know the urge is odd, but it doesn't hurt to be careful. Besides, we can't dawdle long anyway, too much ground to cover." 

It was an excuse, but it was a half genuine suggestion. They really did have a lot of ground to cover. That extra couple of hours Lylow shoved on their plate having to be skirted was obnoxious to their journey. He couldn't stop himself from letting out another sigh, staring into the sky to see into the clouds that should've been there. Whenever these burdens tapped on his heart, he couldn't stop that urge to stare into the heavens during rumination. The skies were his domain, the guidance he'd depended on his entire life. Hell if they weren't there to help him now. 

His emerald, deep-set eyes stared into the blankness of white offered to him and his eyes followed it as it wafted. His body halted and he furrowed his brows, a shadow growing on his face. ' _What's this?'_

**~~__________~~**

That cloud didn't leave his mind as they ambled back to the path, now strolling down the dusty pathway without much caution in their step; at least not in the sisters' step. Fang kept peeking into the woods, alertness filling his head with warnings. What his Cloud Reader ability had told him left him both confused and wary. What did 'unfathomably miraculous fateful encounter soon' even begin to mean? The wording in itself was a bundle of nonsense. Forget unraveling the meaning, all that he was meant to understand was there were meetings to be had, fates to be connected, and miracles to be seen. Yeah, that was it. 

He grimaced. _'Miracles...?'_ Fang swiftly pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and calmed his expression before the girls caught on that something was wrong. He carried himself with new confidence, his tail held high now that he finally got himself under control. If it was a 'miraculous' encounter, then he couldn't think negatively. It would be alright. It had to be. 

They walked for another ten minutes before a ruckus in the woods caught their attention. It was distant but even from that distant place, it was thunderous. Fang froze in place and signaled with his tail for the girls to stay put, even following that they should be ready to run at a moment's notice. The stared at him bewildered before simultaneously agreeing and readying themselves for a getaway. The noises in the woods were chaotic and got closer, closer, and then too close. The muted pattering of running over coarse grass was immediate that something was coming. Behind the runner a loud crunching that suddenly stopped and then bolted in the opposite direction, getting further and quieter. 

Fang's eyes narrowed and he took a few steps forward with fangs bared. They should be- 

From within the thickets at the side of the path burst forth a Demonic Wolf, the thick scent of terror and blood clinging to his mangled pelt. The girls were given a start, all of them reeling back with eyes going wide, pupils blowing large. Fang himself retreated a step as the wolf landed before him. Horror spread on his face as he examined that wolf. That fateful encounter was anything but miraculous. 

The male's mouth hung open with bloody froth dripping down, ragged breath creating lurches of his whole body. He was covered in gashes and fresh tears in his flesh. There were spots where his skin just hung to reveal everything underneath. To their disgust a thorny branch was lodged into one of the injuries, no doubt irritating it, making the nearby skin swell. His creamy white fur was entirely soaked in crimson blood, whole patches of fur missing leaving nothing but raw skin behind. His legs trembled, clearly struggling just to hold his weight up, his exhaustion leading him to sink forward, only his shuddering keeping him from leaning completely and collapsing. How he was even running let alone conscious was more than a mystery, as his very life should have been stolen long ago from the evident blood loss. 

Gray eyes flitted open and darted around, taking in the new environment after busting through the thickets. He didn't seem to register his company at first, but when his eyes landed on Fang he near froze, all movement forced still. Those unfocused eyes kept twitching and he barely could keep his eyelids from dropping completely, anytime they threatened to close he forced them back wide open. 

Fang snapped back to his senses and shouted, "What happened?!" 

The male wheezed and tried to gather himself. After a few heavy breathes, he spoke in a hoarse whisper, "He- ... help," he begged. His head slumped down and he finally looked like he couldn't take anymore. His next words were barely audible. "... A Bone Keeper." 

He didn't fight it any longer. His eyes shut and he doubled over, collapsing with a heavy thud on the ground. Fang was by his side in an instant. Despite everything, the guy wasn't dead. His chest was heaving and it seemed he was still fighting hard even after losing consciousness. Fang's face contorted and he looked over his numerous injuries, feeling his stomach turning on itself. He'd never seen such in his life, it was a new experience to see so much blood. The male had rather pretty fur, long and thick, a nice creamy white with black blotches scattered all over his body. It was a shame so much of it was torn off and ruined. It would take a long time for him to go back to how he was before his assault. 

What the male said was new to him. Bone Keeper, was it? Fang glanced back at the girls perplexed. A demon or a beast? Whatever it was, he couldn't scent it off of the guy. 

Riley and Angelica were frozen in place, staring bewildered at the battered male. Millicent was glaring at the woods with large eyes and her hackles raised. Her whole body was tense as she growled into the emptiness. Nothing was there but that didn't stop her from trying to look as threatening as possible. When she realized Fang had looked to them, she calmed down and was at his side in an instant. "Fang ... he said a Bone Keeper, right? What are we supposed to do?" 

"I don't know. What's a Bone Keeper?" 

Millicent's ears twitched and she scowled. "A type of beast. They're native to the Northern Continent. Of course, you wouldn't hear about them living all the way down here." She returned her gaze to the male laying still on the ground. "They're dangerous if you're unprepared. Fast, intelligent, scentless, and very brawny. Not something you want allowed to run freely." 

"Scentless?" Fang echoed. 

Millicent closed her eyes, face tense. "They secrete a special oil that masks any body odor they'd give off otherwise. Some of the greatest predators known to North 'cause of that." Her eyes flew open. "So, what should we do?" she asked. 

Fang was silent for a long moment. "For now, I don't know. If it's not native to this continent then why is it here? Why was it chasing this guy? How did this happen? Those are the current questions that need to be answered." 

"And how do you intend to get those answers?" Riley asked. Fang raised an eyebrow at her then glanced down at the stranger. Her eyes went dark instantly. "Oh, no. We are _not_ going to help this guy. This is his problem." 

"Riley-" Fang started. 

"We're not putting ourselves in danger for a stranger, and not mentioning the Bone Keeper we can't afford to fight. The locals can handle this issue themselves. Leave him," she said coolly. She wasn't even attempting to feign concern like she did with Slash. No need to hide fortune beside atop a table and replicas in safes. Fang only squinted at her with all the fake hostility he could muster. 

"I sympathize with your concerns but we can't just leave him. I don't want you to go accusing me of being a goody-two-shoes and so I'll say I'm not doing this out of the goodness of my heart, but because it's what my mother taught me to do. Besides, what makes you think the locals are equipped to handle a Bone Keeper? Do you even know the thing's weaknesses?" 

"Yeah, and it's a super easy weakness! Look, you're not getting anything out of helping a nobody. Give up." 

A nobody? His cloud stated otherwise. He was getting exasperated by this foolishness, letting out a grumble. "Riley, you can run away if you want. I'm staying no matter what you say." 

"Good lord, you're an obstinate fool. If you're so worried about it just find someone who can target the thing's weakness and we can be on our way! It's that simple!" 

"Can we not do this right now? He's going to die at this rate. Someone honest to Mia needs to help him!" Millicent yelled. She glared back at her eldest sister and snarled openly at her, white teeth flashed with lips pulled all the way back. "That death trap of a continent shouldn't be spilling its spawn in our land. Nobody here could know how to fight it and we have that information, we'd have to take the time to find and teach someone how to utilize that weakness so it's a waste of time anyway. Not to mention we straight up have full capability of targeting and ending this long before we find a willing passerby. Which, by all means, would save time!" Riley kept her face blank but her fur bristled and she shifted ever so slightly in discomfort. Millicent pivoted and stepped to the foot of the woods, a strange look in her eyes. "We're not letting there be more victims, alright? Fang set his foot down so that means we're going through with it. Simple, right?" 

Riley opened her mouth but couldn't find her voice, only standing there agape. She gave up the argument and nodded to Angelica. She rushed over to the male's side and began healing him, stopping the bleeding as fast as she could. Fang worked on cleaning the wolf's wounds, swallowing hard as he pulled the thorny branch out of the one shoulder wound. Watching the scene unfold, Riley couldn't stop herself from snapping, "You can play hero, make yourselves feel good or whatever. I'm keeping my nose in my own business." She stomped off away from the path, giving a lick of her lips as she passed by them. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be heading to the fields where it's safe." 

Fang smirked. "Good idea. Take him and Angelica with you. They'll need the refuge." 

Riley froze. "Excuse me?" 

"You're excused." Fang joked. He quickly backpedaled, "I'm going to investigate the woods with Millicent while Angelica heals this guy and gets him ready for questioning. I'll try to get as much information as possible to figure out what we're dealing with." 

Riley grit her teeth and stormed back over, activating her telekinesis. She hoisted the male's body into the air without much strain and stomped off once more, this time with Angelica following shyly behind. Angelica whirled he head around and flashed Fang a fretful expression of silent begging, but Fang took no heed of it. Riley would fizzle out soon anyway, it'd be fine. At the very least, the woman was being cooperative. 

Once they vanished from view, Millicent and Fang nodded in silent agreement and took off into the woods, following the scent the male left behind in his escape. The risk was high and the reward was low, but it didn't mean much to Fang as it was how his mother taught him. There is no greater reward in life than knowing you helped someone in their struggles. Such is the way of the Axis; the Great Mother. 

The pair sprinted through the woods, appearing like blurs to anything they passed. Millicent came to a halt and stumbled over some broken thickets, sniffing the scent wafting from them. The trail was everywhere, it was a mess trying to track it. "He's been all over the place, in circles even. Do you think the Bone Keeper was playing with him? He seemed more exhausted than he was hurt, don't you think?" She turned to Fang, who promptly agreed with her. The two carried on scouting and eventually, breaking away from the male's trail they noticed a peculiar musk in the air. Millicent's ears and nose twitched as she finally picked up the musk, turning to inspect a tree they had passed. Her eyes widened and she bolted a short distance away from the tree, breathing in deeply. After a few moments, she came bouncing back. 

"There're pack markers sprayed around the trees here. I wonder if he's from here." Her face fell. "Poor thing. He couldn't go to his pack for help." She stared at the bloodied ground with despondency, her voice low and wavering. Fang narrowed his eyes and backpedaled to her, touching his tail to hers. She perked up and glanced at him. The two were standing back to back, but their focus was only on each other. 

"Milly, we're in their territory. We need to move now. You can pity him later let's get out of here before they find us. We have enough issues as it is." He said barely above a whisper. Millicent nodded and the two took off away from the borders, returning to the thick of the battle scene. Fang paused and then eventually let himself deflate. "He was probably trying not to include his pack in the strife. Maybe what we saw was an act of sacrifice." 

"Or it simply chased him off the borders?" 

"If it did, then he could have easily found a way back to said borders, considering he had been running in circles for god knows how long. He was able to shake it off so many times and return to his pack so why didn't he?" Fang said. "He also could have used telepathy but clearly he didn't want to, otherwise he wouldn't have been in the situation he was in. This was definitely on purpose so his pack wouldn't be in danger." 

Millicent's ears reeled back and she stepped back, "That's..." She didn't know what to say. But, despite herself, she could only think him impulsive, reckless, and most of all, moronic. "He was trying to do the right thing, but did he really think he could take it on alone? Did he really think that giving up his life would save his pack, somehow? I don't mean to sound like my sister, but that was very rash of him if not completely idiotic." 

"Tell him that when he's awake," Fang said. "Come on, let's return to the others, we need to relay this information to your sisters." 

"Got it!"

The two sprinted off, heading back to the sisters waiting in the meadow. They had their theories, and now it was time to put them to the test. Not to mention the lingering feeling that they hadn't found the beast for a reason. That ... was bad news. 

When Fang returned, he had an internal sigh of relief. Angelica's face was screwed up in concentration as she worked on healing the stranger, Riley sulking with her head rested on her folded paws. As if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, he straightened up and sauntered into the field; it was a quaint area beside the trail and outside the woods in which nothing but a few shrubs grew. From the way the grass was mowed down, he could tell it was a popular grazing spot for herbivores. 

"Angelica! Riley!" Millicent called as she raced into the field, overtaking Fang completely. The black she-wolf's sisters both flinched at the call of their name and peered over to Millicent. Riley rushed to stand up and hasted to greet her sister, a surprising expression of honest relief. Riley bowed her head and licked Millicent's neck and then at her muzzle, giving her a quick once over. Millicent sheepishly brushed past Riley, their shoulders rubbing, and carried on to greet Angelica. 

Fang squinted his eyes at the girls and paused almost a yard away from them. His eyes soon scoped out the area, taking in the lack of reliable hiding places and finally allowed himself to relax. The only way for the Bone Keeper to sneak up on them was from the front; the woods. Though there were some shrubs and scarce thin trees, nothing came to mind for hiding a predator. He wasn't aware of what the beast looked like so all he could imagine was something large and covered in claws and teeth. From the look of the male's injuries and the sounds it made in the woods while chasing him down, he could roughly tell its size. Aside from the estimations, his mind was empty of any ideas. 

When he finally dragged himself out of his thoughts, he noticed Riley watching him keenly. For the moment, the two shared a unified silence with eyes connected; the space around them seemed to still as they subconsciously understood everything the other was thinking. Riley jerked her head, beckoning him closer. Fang took a breath and did just that. He sat beside Riley and watched as she called for Millicent. Once the three were collected they began the discourse. 

"About Bone Keepers? You couldn't tell him yourself?" Millicent gave her older sister a hard look, but Riley didn't care much for it. Instead, the white she-wolf shrugged and mumbled under her breath. "Angelica's the smart one, though. Why not ask her?" 

"She's kind of preoccupied right now, and you're the one all uppity about the Bone Keeper anyway so it's only fair you explain everything to Fang. Get him up to speed with the monsters of the grand world." Riley said. She then leaned closer to Fang, looking up at him. "Not sure why she's throwing a fit about it, kind of childish." 

Millicent glared at Riley and finally yielded. "Fine, Bone Keepers are large predators from North that are built for the extreme cold and stalking. They secrete oils to mask their scent completely and have white to pale gray skin that allows camouflage in the snow. They live without fear as very few species can hunt them. Their skin is leathery and their only known weaknesses are flames and heat. They're frog-like with stubby bodies and long limbs and long claw-like nails on the tips of their fingers. They're named after their passion for bones," She explained. 

"Frog?" Fang tried to picture a frog beast, but it was a bit strange. How could a frog be a predator? Millicent and Riley both seemed to catch onto his thought bubble's image and frowned in unison. Though Millicent soon giggled and her expression turned amused. 

"Though I say that, they're really nothing like frogs aside from their legs. They're built for long-distance jumping. They're mostly Angeloid in appearance, kind of like a Leather Skin or a Bat Kin. They hide in the snow then pounce when something crosses their path," She continued. "They can get heatstroke easy due to their body being built for insulation. So if we're to strike one we need to use fire. That's our best option for winning aside from tearing their ridiculously strong flesh apart." Millicent's eyes flashed with discomfort for a moment, her shoulders tensing. She regained her cool almost instantaneously. 

"So we need to use fire to defeat them? Seems simple enough. Now, are these things nocturnal or diurnal?" Fang asked. When Millicent elucidated the former, Fang pretty quickly connected the dots. It was still fairly early in the morning when they discovered the male, and when they did the Bone Keeper backed off into the woods; it was tired. The thing freely went to sleep knowing that its prey was exhausted to the point of collapse. It couldn't be found by him and Millicent since it returned to its nest. They would see it again by nightfall, but that was still a way off and it would mean a long time of waiting. They shouldn't shy away from setting up an open camp. 

"There are some things to consider should we fight it, however," Millicent muttered, hesitant. Fang squinted at her and she continued, "Bone Keepers are very intelligent, they can figure out battle plans being used against it and they're observant. They can single out the biggest threats and will aim to get rid of the nuisances first before striking down the rest."

"So the fire user will be targeted instantly?" 

"Yes, that and other things. In the woods it wouldn't be a very good predator since we'd be able to see it easily, having bright skin and all. But, there's also the chance that it's Melanistic which would allow it to blend in much too well here in the night. If that's the case we'll have to be extra observant. No hiding spaces or not, this meadow can trick the eyes during the night and there won't be much moonlight these next few nights since it's almost the new moon phase. You'll see things that aren't even there." 

Fang blinked. Okay, that was a lot to unpack. Half of what she said didn't make much sense to him, but he could probably put two and two together. Still, it was better to ask. So, Fang asked, "What's melanistic?" 

Millicent regarded him for a moment then closed her eyes and relaxed with a hunched form. With a sigh, she began, "You know of genetic disorders, right? Ones that specialize in pigment?" She peered at him through a single opened eye, and when she saw him nod she closed her eye again. "The most well-known pigment classified genetic disorder is Albinism, which removes pigment from the skin, but there're three lesser-known pigment genetic disorders; Leucism, Erythrism, and Melanism. If you want to consider the Valkoinen branch as a genetic disorder, you can, but I wouldn't consider it much since it seems to be almost like a magical thing. Setting aside the first two, the third, Melanism, is the polar opposite of Albinism, being the excess of pigmentation, making parts if not the entire body black in coloration." 

"So with Albinism, you're unusually white, but with Melanism, you're unusually black," Fang summarized. Millicent's lips crooked up and she nodded. "And just for curiosity's sake … what're the other two?" 

"Erythirism is the excess of red pigmentation in the body. It's the one that's often found in the Thousand Fires clan, making most of them ginger or auburn in color. Leucism is like a less intense version of Albinism, where it's kind of just patchy or something. It can easily be confused with another thing, Vitiligo. Genetics is kind of confusing!" 

"So _anyway_ ," Riley interrupted. "What we need to worry about is not just its skills, intelligence, and strength but also the fact that it could be harder to spot than usual. That is if it's even melanistic like Milly suggested. But I doubt it."

_'So she was listening...'_

"Yeah … besides, black doesn't blend that well into the night. Dark green, navy blue, and darker shades of gray would blend in even better. But, on a moonless night, it could," Millicent said.

"Let's set that aside. The bigger problem is getting a fire manipulator to fight it. Are any of you capable of it?" Fang asked. 

"Milly has fire manipulation as her Birthright Ability," Riley remarked. Fang perked up and looked between the sisters. Millicent looked almost ashamed of the revelation of her powers. Fang couldn't comprehend why her possession of fire manipulation would be something to hold embarrassment over. It might've been a technically illegal ability to use in most cases, far too destructive to use in forests and living spaces, but it was still a powerful and beautiful ability. Perhaps she had her reasons. It wasn't his place to pry so he only gave the minimal acknowledgment, not giving any hints to his thoughts. 

"I need pre-existing flames, though. I cannot generate my own flames," she admitted. Fang just smiled at her and nodded. Without another word, he jerked his head up and a small flame appeared in the air, floating inelegantly. He let it drift down so the flame hovered between the three of them.

Millicent watched the tiny light with a slack jaw, feeling something pool in her chest. Carefully, without needing prompting, the she-wolf took the flame in her own power and begin shifting it around in the air, spiraling it around her neck, expanding it, and shaping it. She formed the flame into a butterfly and let it soar around the trio's heads before finally allowing it to dissipate.

She grinned wide and beamed at Fang. "You can summon fire!" 

"Yeah, but I can't manipulate it. At all. It stays a small orb that I can toss around a little, but never anything else. I mean, I'm inexperienced. I might get better with practice. I usually only use it to light campfires." 

"That's fine! It's perfect, actually!" Millicent sat back up and stumbled onto her feet. "While it's still daylight, we should go collect some branches and built some campfires for added protection. That way I'll have not only a source for my abilities but it'll dissuade the beast from recklessly approaching." 

"Sounds like a plan. But, setting that aside, there's one more question left unanswered here." Fang spoke up, his face pensive. He gripped at the ground with his claws digging into the soil. He took a deep breath before continuing. "How did it end up on the continent? Bone Keepers are native to North, and they shouldn't be able to successfully live here in Central, so how and why? There's no way there's a secret population of them."

Hearing this, the girls glanced at one another and found themselves pondering that same inquiry. They mulled in silence for a bit until finally, Millicent broke the silence, a shrug gracing her shoulders. "One thing that's for certain is the Bone Keeper couldn't have swum here. It would've died from exhaustion crossing the Amaian Ocean, if not then it would've got heatstroke ending up in the Miriam Reef and onto the shore of the arid northern half of Central. Meaning, it had assistance to get here. The people on the northern coast near the Mariam Reef would've killed it on sight, too," Millicent explained. The black she-wolf gave one last smirk before finishing her tangent with a roll of her eyes. "That and they can't swim." 

"Ah, so you could've just said they can't swim, but no, you had to spit out a theorem," Riley grumbled. 

"Just wanted to make sure Fang knew!" Millicent defended. "He's all about information, so why shouldn't I give it to him?" With a huff she activated her telekinesis, eyes burning red. She whipped out a map from the backpack resting near Angelica. Floating the map over, she opened the scroll and laid it in the middle of the trio. "As you can see, not counting the Hook Throat Peninsula, there're only four zones it should have appeared, the four hugging the Mariam Reef, Nuid, Mitty, Eastburrow, and Aniel. It being all the way down here makes little sense. Unless it road a cargo ship all the way down to the Diana Peninsula. Though I'm not sure how a ship carrying a beast could even make it past the border in the Amaian Ocean." 

"Border? What border?" Fang asked with a tilt of his head. 

"Ah, well..." Millicent scratched at the bridge of her nose with a pointed claw before continuing, "There's a set of four islands in the Amaian Ocean that act as a sort of checkpoint. Any ships crossing between North and Central must go through a maintenance check and cargo check as well as a temporary quarantine before they can keep going. The islands are known as the 'Four Orders of Durladon' and they're run by the descendants of a pirate. It's impossible to smuggle anything through that place. Too thorough, using pirate tactics to scour for anything out of place. To imagine someone trying to carry a Bone Keeper through there is ridiculous!" 

Fang nodded and examined the map, soon scoping out the four aforementioned islands. The Four Orders of Durladon were exactly as described, four islands set side by set, left to right, forming a perfect blockade between the two continents smack in the middle of the Amaian Ocean. Whoever Durladon was, they knew what they were doing. It'd be difficult to do drug trade or trafficking of any sort with skilled pirates breathing down your neck. Then again, they probably took it for themselves. There was no true morality with them, even if they are some of the most accepting of folks. There's no such thing as 'flawed' with pirates. 

So that was a thing, and it only caused some more questions on how the Bone Keeper managed to get to the Central Continent, especially all the way down to the Diana Peninsula which was a full two-month voyage from the Four Orders of Durladon. How could they contain the beast that long? What would they even feed such a large predator all that time? 

Fang rubbed at his face and grumbled. "It's clear that whoever got the thing down here knew what they were doing. Worst case scenario this is an organized attack with a lot of previous planning. They must've taken a lot of these things into consideration before bringing it down here. Ugh, the questions keep stacking! I mean, the questions that are here with the idea that this was planned. There's obvious maliciousness! But what's the motivation?!" 

Riley gave him a shoulder nudge and one of her ears twisted. "But we don't need to know about the motives or the criminal behind the ploy, we just need to warn the locals and they can handle it," Riley said. The she-wolf was beginning to think Fang was lying when he said he wasn't a bleeding heart, he was thinking far too deeply. The situation was simply to kill the Bone Keeper and return the male to health and be on their way. Nothing more. 

"I know but it just doesn't sit well with me. There feels to be something more. Like … like there's some greater meaning to us stumbling upon this. But, I'm not sure if that's what the clouds meant," Fang said.

"Clouds?" Riley tensed up and soon she slapped the ground with a shout, "Really?!" Fang winced at her sudden outburst and stared at her with jaw agape as if she spat acid at him. She was just about ready to! "So you failed to tell us that this situation was preordained? Nice, Fang. You could have told us that we were going to end up involved in this bullshit but instead, no, you keep it to yourself." 

Fang glowered at Riley and sighed, his eyes slipping shut. This woman was so quick to point an offending claw, he nearly got whiplash from dealing with all of it. A headache was taking root, her words being the seeds. "I wasn't hiding anything, unfortunately. I was caught off guard all the same. The clouds merely mentioned I was about to have a fateful encounter; nothing more nothing less." Without much energy, he moved to meet her eye to eye. "I couldn't have warned you of this even if I wanted to. Please do not jump to conclusions." 

Riley's paws flexed and the corner of her mouth turned down. Without much fuss, she shook and turned away from his steely eyes. Millicent shrank back away from the two and spoke with a shaky voice, "I think there's something else we're missing here..."

Two sets of eyes burrowed their way into Millicent, making her tremble with added nerves. She steeled herself and glanced to the east as if she were staring at the ocean beyond the grassy horizon. "If we consider that, isn't it a little simpler? Oh, and a few more things!" 

"Take _what_ into consideration?" Riley pried. Millicent flinched and turned back to her audience. Riley had to be stupid not to realize what Millicent had been implying, but the younger two had always known their eldest sister wasn't the sharpest even if she was a clever speaker. 

"We're only considering a single path, there're numerous ways for it to have gotten here. We ruled out swimming and passing through the Four Orders of Durladon, traveling specifically from North to Central, but we didn't take into consideration them just avoiding the islands altogether." She stuck up a paw and wiggled a toe for each fact, "There're things such as Lunalyn's teleportation portals and being shipped to East and then Central where it could land on the Diana Peninsula much easier. Besides, you're thinking too much about it being transported as an adult. What if it were just a baby! Easier to feed and care for and not as aggressive or dangerous." 

"That concludes the lots of planning part, I suppose," Fang admitted. If it was transported as an infant and then dragged off to Central from East where there're no checks, then that'd simplify things significantly. But that only proved forethought and maliciousness were indeed involved with the placement of the beast. The questions could easily be brushed away with a single proposition, however. 

"Even if this was planned, you don't suppose this was just for the sake of twisted amusement?" Millicent asked. Bingo. Bullseye. Spot on observation of the youngest sister. Angelica might've been the studious one, but Millicent was definitely the flexible one. Her thinking was of different angles that Riley nor Angelica could even begin to follow. Which is to say she followed common sense. 

"Again, regardless of motivation, it's not our fucking _problem_!" Riley snapped. "I don't see why you guys are still discussing it, even if Fang has some sort of fateful connection to this scenario." 

"But-" 

"What if it's just the wolf? What if whatever story is behind the beast isn't apart of your fate? What if it's just patchy over there who's your fated one? Let's wait for him to wake up and get our information from him as we planned. Once we have his story we can figure everything out." 

Fang grit his teeth and nodded, finally considering her words. That finally made some sense and it was senseless to argue any further. 

"So what do we do until then?" Millicent asked. 

Riley shrugged. "Simple - we prepare. If this guy is really as important and fateful as Fang claims he is, then we have to do what we can to make sure he gets through this alive. Our own lives are just as important, so don't go overdoing it!" 

Fang pushed himself up and stretched out his legs, "Then I'll go find some firewood. We'll build some campfires for the night. We'll need to be on high alert, I know this thing's going to come back." 

"Be careful. I know the thing's probably asleep but you can never be too cautious. Not to mention that patchy's pack is probably really worried about him. There must be blood everywhere; worst case scenario they blame you." Millicent said. 

Fang nodded and headed back for the woods, hoping to scavenge some good firewood from the edges. As Millicent said, the pack nearby could easily register him as an enemy, especially since his group had the patchy wolf in their possession. He'd have to make the trip quickly, an in and out issue. Should they find him before that, Fang didn't know what he'd do let alone what they'd do. 

At the very least, the clouds are silent. The Bone Keeper would come back - he knew that. They would be ready for it.


	11. Sacred Hellfire - 3

_PK - Summer, 117, 0000_

* * *

An hour later after their discussion, they had five campfires readied in the form of a circle around their makeshift camp. They were left unlit as it was still morning. Angelica was laying exhausted near the botched male, her marigold eyes drooping now and then. Healing was exhaustive when one wasn't a follower of Mia, and she knew she couldn't handle any more injuries. It would take her until tomorrow to keep going, but for now, she stopped the bleeding and healed the deeper, seemingly fatal wounds. 

"I have to admit, the guy's a tank." Angelica drawled. Her eyes slipped closed and she huffed softly, just enough to move the grass from her lips. "That was beyond exhausting, he should've been dead by now." 

"Were they really so severe?" Fang asked, coming to sit beside her. He knew they were nasty injuries, but he believed it was more the blood loss that was a threat than the injuries or any shock they might've caused. 

"Yeah, you know those wounds would have killed anyone else, I think. Dude's got a hardy body that's for sure." she mused. 

Fang let his eyes wash over at the half-healed male and squinted. Fang hadn't really had much experience with injuries before, so he wouldn't be a good judge of what kinds were life-threatening and which ones weren't. Still, Angelica did a good job and it seemed he would live through the trauma fine. Some of the worst wounds had become simple gashes or cuts, no longer gaping wide and ready for maggots to dig in like he were a first-class feast. Despite his survival seeming a miracle, it was probably meant to be. 

Maybe he was settling too much weight onto that cloud... 

"So do we have to wait here until sundown? We can't move around?" Riley padded up to Fang and Angelica, glaring down at them. 

"Unfortunately," Fang grumbled. He glanced around at the campfires and couldn't stop himself from wondering why she even asked that question. "I mean, if you want to take a walk around the prairie, then you can go ahead. Just stay away from the woodlands." 

Riley knit her brows. "This is a prairie? I thought it was a meadow." 

"Not the sharpest of knives I see," Fang joked. Riley growled and stormed off the instant she could. Angelica shot him a nervous look and he shrugged at her in return. Riley was an easy one to tease, obviously, he would take every chance he got. Besides, the place was literally called the Honey Herb Prairie. The Diana Peninsula was well known for being mostly prairie. 

With the ensuing silence, Fang had the moment to finally gather his thoughts. Out of all of them, one stood out to him the most. "Angelica, you don't have Mia's blessings?" 

"Hmm? Oh, no. I don't. We are the monotheistic type. I only worship Opeyemi and nobody else." 

"The Southern Continental Goddess? The giant crane?" 

"Oh please, Fang. She's a Grey Heron. You're not that sharpest knife, are you?" 

"Same difference. She's still a giant bird with a long neck. Besides, I never said I was the sharpest knife of the group." 

Angelica snorted. She finally seemed to be getting some of her energy back, a bit of a relief as she may end up needing to run by nightfall if things don't go according to plan. Despite choosing the bait the beast using the blotched wolf, Fang didn't have any confidence in his ability to fight. He might've been big but that didn't mean he was strong. The girls could easily kill him should they have the desire to. 

So far he only had limited knowledge about the Bone Keeper, all of it pointing to the thing being very clever and very dangerous without fire to back a fighter up. It wasn't as difficult to kill as a Sin Lion, though, so it would be alright. At the very least it couldn't hide and they'd be ready for it. Millicent was their best bet to get rid of it. 

The second thing in his mind was regarding that male. Whoever he was, as Angelica said, he was tough. He appeared insignificant at first glance, but one would always have reminded themselves that books shouldn't be judged by their cover. Maybe he was actually a powerful warrior? Possibly, but that didn't explain why he couldn't just tear apart the beast by himself, not to mention ending up so heavily injured, collapsing at death's door. 

Regardless, they'd have to wait for him to wake up to glean the truth.

"Fang?" Angelica brought his attention back to Mirror and he glimpsed over. "Were you listening to what I was saying? Yeah?" 

"Sorry, no. I wasn't. I got lost in thought." he stood. His mouth twitched, his nose crinkling. He saw Millicent sitting with her head bowed, her chin nearly touching her chest. She was leering at her paws, seeming to be in some kind of trance. "I think you should take it easy. Don't waste what little energy you have on speaking, just rest," he said over his shoulder, already sauntering to the youngest of the girls. Angelica watched him go with his brow furrowed, gawking. He might've offended her, but that didn't matter at the moment. 

Fang approached the black-furred female with light steps. "You doing alright?"

Millicent flinched, her fur puffing up, and she lifted her gaze to meet Fang's worried eyes. He gave her a spook. She quickly smoothed out her fluffed fur and gave him a quick nod and nervous smile combo. Combing through her fur with her claws, her face quickly settled back into that half-lidded poker face Fang had seen on her earlier. "You certain? You don't want to talk or anything?" 

Her attention snapped to him and her whole body seemed to go taut. "About what?" she asked, almost defensively, her voice strained. 

Millicent being so flighty made Fang feel a bit disquieted. "Nothing in particular. Just seemed like you could use a distraction right now," he said, gesturing to her wound-up body. He saw her visibly deflate and let out the breath she was holding. Whatever had her so uptight was something she wanted to keep to herself. "Do you have a topic in mind? I kind of came over here on a whim." 

"I noticed you're the type." she jested. She quickly lost the slight smile she had and shifted to and fro on her haunches. "Is there anything you're curious about? I don't have any topics in mind, but we can start by asking questions? Like that game twenty questions?" 

"Then let's place twenty questions. I'll start. First question. What kind of wings do you have?" Might as well start with something simple and easy to answer to get the ball rolling. To start with something difficult or personal would only make her displeased. He knew she needed distractions rather than more things to think about. Besides, he was curious since he's never seen her wings before.

"I have webbed wings. They're black with kind of reddish tinting on the outer edge of the membrane." Millicent activated her telekinesis and her sides flashed with a burgundy mist with two large webbed wings forming from the raw energy and spreading for his viewing pleasure. She promptly folded her wings close to her body and shrugged. They were pretty bland but served their purpose. The flight was the only thing that mattered about wings. "My turn; second question. Were you and your brother in a pack before or were you born as loners?" 

She knew better than to ask about his wings in return since he had no clue how to summon them yet. Whatever type he had was still a mystery. That question, though. A bit on the personal side. "No, actually yes? We were born as our own pack, I suppose. It was our parents and us, and then my mother's friend would always visit us from where she lived in Drew. You remember our early detour, right? To see Blue?"

Millicent frowned and nodded. When they had left the Forest of Diana, they went to visit Drew upon Fang's instance so that he could tell Blue about their departure hoping that she wouldn't worry about them. But what he witnessed was something that would probably be ingrained in his memory for the rest of his life. 

Drew was a beautiful place, an entire forest filled by thousands of Cherry Blossom trees that bloomed year-round and the ground constantly bearing a carpet of pink petals. One would be walking through a land of fairies and magic, that's what they'd say about Drew. That was the sort of place Blue had lived her life; the place she was born and raised was one of surrealism. Blue and her sisters sang songs about the pink flowers and even claimed that they were blossom princesses and the trees belonged to them, that the trees were connected to their souls. The girls had agreed that the flowers never stopped blooming because they were an extension of them. Maybe that had been true. 

When Fang had arrived, what he was met with wasn't a wonderland of pink, but a decrepit land of death. All of the plants were dead, ever petal had fallen from now bare branches and coated the ground, not in pink but shriveled brown. It was as if the life had been sucked out of every single tree. Not a single tree was left alive - they weren't even in hibernation. They were straight-up dead and would never bloom again.

The most shocking thing about what he had seen was the fact that it seemed to have happened overnight.

Just a few days before, he witnessed the land in all its flower-filled glory, every tree still in bloom and growing new blooms. Every bird singing so sweetly, and Blue welcoming them with a big smile on her face, singing her song of blossom princesses to them. It was odd. She had just told them how she thought the forest was connected to her family's lifeforce and they were its spiritual guardians. She perceived that the forest would only die when her bloodline had completely died out. 

...

And it finally did. 

Fang had searched frantically for her, but the only thing he found was a single statue of a beautiful wolf atop a cliff. One that looked identical to Blue in every way, right down to the last detail.

Blue had died, and all that was left of her was her body in the form of an immortal stone.

What happened to her, he didn't even know. There were no questions he could ask a statue, and no answers he could gather from a serene face, gazing fondly at her ruined homeland. There was no fear, no anger. It seemed like she was aware of what was about to befall her, and she accepted it with open arms, embracing her death. Maybe she was exhausted from her long life. The longer one lived, the more weary they became. 

He remembers just sitting there beside her statue for hours until Millicent had finally talked him through the initial shock and allowed him to regain his senses. Blue was like an aunt. No, she was his aunt. He wasn't sure what to do, but focusing on his future was all he could think of doing anymore. Besides, she had lived for such a long time, it was reasonable for her end to come. With those thoughts, he finally left Drew and set that memory in a careful place in the back of his mind. 

Blue was his mother's best friend, and one of the three symbols of peace presently. In the past, he had been told there was a woman known as Sapphire, and that she, like his mother, had two best friends who accompanied her as she brought the world to peace and that she and her friends acted as the previous symbol of peace. How history loved to repeat itself. Trios were always fated to act as the heroes, weren't they? 

"Setting aside Blue, there were many Demons of all races who came by to greet me and my family. They kept coming even after my mother vanished. They never stuck around, though, but I knew them all extended friends and allies of my mother. She was a very influential demon, so many wished to meet her children and many tried to befriend my brother and me. Never succeeded as we knew better." He ended with a shrug, not with his shoulders, but a subtle jerk of his body. Millicent seemed to contemplate her next words carefully. 

"Blue. You're the son of Keshawn," she said at last. "I thought there was a resemblance, but to think you'd be her son. The world's rather small." 

"It's far smaller than we'd imagine." he looked up to the sky and took in the sight of the endless blue, his eyes reflecting what was hardly even there. "It's a heavy title to bear, but if I try hard enough I can ignore it completely. I don't want to be 'Fang, son of Keshawn' very much. I want it to be less a title and more a fact of life. Yeah, Keshawn has two sons, no you don't need to dump expectations on their shoulders. We have it hard enough as it is." 

"Do you know where your mother is?" 

"It's my turn to ask the question, Millicent," Fang said, cutting the conversation short. It was already too personal for his intended purpose of this game. He wanted both of them to relax, not for them to get into theoretic stuff. It was best to let sleeping dogs lie. The she-wolf chuckled sheepishly. 

"The third question, let me boomerang that previous question. Did you and your sisters originate from a pack?" 

"Yes, we were born in a medium-sized pack, but we're not with them right now. We left to join a new pack, or start one of our own," she answered. Fang didn't hesitate to check for a forming cloud but was relieved to see none had formed. She answered the question honestly. It was clear from the beginning that out of the three, Millicent was the least likely to lie, and probably the best to get information from. She was a genuinely sweet girl and seemed to become unnerved every time Riley acted out. Maybe if she hadn't been raised alongside such a family, she would have been like Willow with a pure soul. 

She seemed to know of his examination, turning away with a set jaw. Her question comes out quiet, a whisper in the breeze. "Fourth question. What do you think of my sister, Riley." 

The question startles him. For a moment he's taken aback by the bluntness of it, but quickly recovers, not even needing a bit of thinking time. "She's clever but uses her brain for the wrong thing; emotional manipulation. She's selfish, envious, defensive, but witty, has a good sense of humor, focused, independent, level headed, and so goddamn prudent. She's the type to keep others grounded, making sure nobody's head ends up in the clouds." It all falls past his lips with ease, his blunt opinion of her bitter character. 

Millicent smirked at him. "Cloud pun. Nice." 

Fang lifts his chin, "I try. Fifth question. Are you from South?" 

"Yup. I'll guess Angelica slipped a hint. The sixth question..." she trailed off. She was considering her words carefully, but her thoughts became clear as her sights flicked to the blotched male. "...what do you intend to do with him after all of this is over?" 

"Cheap shot. I don't really know. I'm playing this by ear. For all the investment as I have in the clouds, somehow I don't really understand them as much as I'd like to think I do. Deep down, I think this fate of ours is better left alone. If anything, I think letting him stay with his pack is the best outcome." 

"Are you sure about that?" 

"Yeah," Fang admitted. His face twitched and he sneered. "But, don't repeat that to Riley, she'll throw a fit." Millicent raised her brows and then rolled her eyes. Fang licked his lips. "We should just do whatever feels most natural, and something like that's most normative. The seventh question, how long have you and your sisters been traveling around before finding me?" 

"We're on and off. We've joined a few different pre-existing packs before, only to end up separating ourselves from them. We've been doing this since we were pups. We're all fifteen now." 

"Long time to be going about with no anchors," Fang remarked. 

"I agree. Sometimes I wish this would stop." Millicent sighed and laid down, setting her head on her paws. "I'm exhausted ... of everything. Everything they put me and others through and just their selfishness in general, never settling down. The eighth question. Do you intend to recruit more members for our group?" 

"Depends. Only if you want to. It'd be safer to have our own pups for new members; however, considering your sisters' habit of bouncing from pack to pack, that may not be a good option. I'd be left with pups clearly unwanted. Or would you all bring them with you?" 

Millicent's head shot up and she grimaced. "I'm not sure that Riley'd leave any children of hers behind. If anything you might as well kiss those pups goodbye if she decides to leave. Our mom taught us that shared blood shouldn't be left behind." 

"Then ... what about you?" 

Fang's question had her taken aback, it came out of nowhere and the implications sent her mind into the void. Her face screwed up in confusion. "What do you mean what about me?" 

"Will she force you to come with her or do you have the choice to stay behind or not?" When Millicent's face showed nothing but bewilderment, Fang sighed. "You told me you were tired, you wanted somewhere to stop and stay. You want a home. That's not with Riley, is it? So, if given the chance to stay somewhere more permanent, would you take it? Consider this my ninth question; there's no dodging." 

Millicent scowled and she began to ponder. It was true that she was tired, and that she wanted to have a place she could be proud to call her home. She longed for that sort of place, one she never had to be ashamed of, or one she could really consider permanent when all she ever knew was temporary, places she would never be able to truly call her home. It was such a mystical thought considering all of her circumstances. This included the things she wouldn't dare share with Fang let alone her own family. But, they were family.

"I don't know. I don't think I could leave my sisters." she peered up at Fang's attentive expression. "Maybe at some point in the future I could? But, for now, I don't want to leave them. They're family, they're more important than someone who's a near stranger at the moment. Choice or not, it's just not something I could bring myself to do." 

"That's fair. It's alright, it was just a hypothetical question anyway. You shouldn't feel pressured at all." 

"Okay, sorry for taking it too seriously. But, it was a good question, unlike some of the stuff I've been asking. Speaking of which, the tenth question..." 

The two went back and forth, the questions much lighter than before, and yielding simple answers instead of sparking discussions as the first few had. Jokes were made, laughs were had, and Angelica brooded nearby the whole time her eyes glaring daggers at her younger sister. She was dyed green. 

Soon, once Riley had returned with a flower, the high noon hung overhead and signaled lunchtime. Fang let the girls track down rabbits in the prairie and watched over the male by himself, taking the free time to clean him up a bit, removing the dried blood from his fur, and hopefully putting him in a more comfortable sleeping position. He made sure to move the unconscious wolf's limbs to stretch out the muscles. He was hoping it would either stir him or make waking up easier as he wouldn't have stiff muscles. But that was wishful thinking. 

Once the girls were back, they began exchanging stories of ridiculous events and myths they've come across in their days. Then, Fang learned the tale of the Sky Wanderer, a massive dragon-like beast with eight pairs of wings that constantly changed to any and every wing known to demonkind. There was a rumor that drinking the blood of the Sky Wanderer could change one's wings to something else. 

Whatever wings a demon was born with would be their wings for the rest of their life, webbed and feathered being the most common, insect wings the next most common, and lastly were unique designs which some could barely consider wings. Fang recalled that he saw his mother's wings only once; they had been the single most beautiful thing he had ever seen. They were just simple feathered ones in shape, but on the underside of the wings was a rainbow, feathers of all colors glittering. He hadn't known what a rainbow was at the time, but he knew that his parents, well, his father mostly as he had a terrible naming sense if Slash was any evidence, had considered 'Rainbow' as a name for a daughter that resembled his mother. But, only he and Slash were born, a pair of sons, so they had to toss that idea away. They weren't about to try again just for the sake of a name. 

Fang's name meant 'beautiful' which he should have expected. Because he resembled his mother, he was labeled the beautiful one, the strong one, the lucky one. He was his father's favorite, while Slash was their mother's favorite. Sometimes he thought his father was just far too gone with loving their mother to actually see his children as separate beings, and instead he saw Fang as an extension of Keshawn. It was a bit suffocating, and a bit scary sometimes. He never outright said it, but that was definitely the feeling that Fang had gotten from his father's attention. 

If his father were still alive, and he saw him now as an adult whose only difference between him and his mother was gender, what would he think? Would he worship him the same way he did Keshawn? Would he consider them the same person or different people? Maybe Fang was thinking too lowly of his father, maybe all of it was a bunch of malarkey. Maybe his father just loved him because he was his son, and not because he was the 'special' one. 

Maybe Fang was the one who was full of himself, to think those lowly, corrupted thoughts.

He was disgusting. 

~~____________~~

When the sun was setting, fading into the darkness so many feared but thought so beautiful, the group went on high alert. Just as Fang had said, the night was a nigh moonless one, the only light in sight being the glittering stars. Fang stood bow-legged beside the blotched male, his tail erect, and his sight set keen in the darkness. Despite how near the danger was, the girls behaved relaxed, chatting amongst one another about sweet nothings. All around them in a protective circle were the fire fires, with Fang and the male sat directly beside the one closest to the woods. With their words so nonchalant he took the moment to glance away and listen in on their conversation. They were on about some nonsense about Enchanters and curses they would inflict on themselves. He huffed and returned to his observation. 

In the black, everything seemed to be both moving and still all at once. From the corner of his eye, he would see a moth flutter by and his heart would race for just the split second he first noticed. It went on like that for a while, too alert for his own heart's health. All of the moths congregated around the flames, some dumb enough to dive to their death. 

"You doing alright?" Millicent asked. Fang glanced at her and frowned at her nonchalance. She was poking at the flames of one of the campfires, completely serene. 

"The moths are a bother," he answered honestly. Millicent met his eyes and sneered. 

"Don't blame them for getting lost. Light confuses them," she said. After a pause, she added, "Just like the darkness confuses us." her face softened and she ran a claw along the top of one of the stones containing the flames, the light dusting her dark fur with a hint of orange warmth. Fang watched her for a while, then finally sighed and shrugged off her statement. It was true, the darkness led to tricks of the eye. In their limited light, they were as good as blind, but they still held strong because as much as they liked to think otherwise, they had the advantage in every corner. The world, Mirror, even blanketed by darkness, was illuminated by a demon's inner light. The wit of the mind. Millicent shot him a final look before chuckling. She slipped back to her sisters' side.

Fang observed her and the girls for a moment longer before returning to his surveillance. Just then, a brisk freeze settled into his veins, eyes blown wide and heart frozen in place. His bare instinct remained in the tick and he called out with a harrowing tone, "Girls!" 

Millicent shot up before the other two could blink, her eyes already glittering crimson with her telekinesis. 

From the darkness burst forth a massive figure swallowed by shadows; it had launched itself, closing the distance between it and the wolves the moment it had seen itself discovered. Long boney fingers were outstretched, reaching for Fang as it flew through the air from where it pounced. 

Fang opened his jaws and his snarl sounded like crashing thunder as the beast came slammed down before him, swinging a large clawed hand in his direction. Fang tightened his legs, then sprang. He flung himself back, dodging the initial strike while dragging the blotched wolf back with his telekinesis; however, it took but a heartbeat for Fang to realize neither he nor the unconscious demon were the true target of the swipe. 

The beast's hand came down beside the campfire and scattered a wave of dirt and stone all across, putting the flames out entirely. Fang grit his teeth and glared at the creature. It had ambushed them just as Fang expected, and just like Millicent had told him it was wary of its weakness. Fang continued to glower as the Bone Keeper's silver eyes swept over the four remaining flames, and he could hear the gears turning just from its face. 

Out of all, one thing stood out to him. The Bone Keeper was cloaked in black skin, just as Millicent had feared it would. But aside from the confirmation of its melanism, he witnessed the numerous bones decorating its body in the form of carved jewelry. Rings, necklaces, bracelets, and more were crafted from the material making for a brutal display. 

There was no way it had been given those bones, and that simply made Fang's blood boil. The beast sensed Fang's bloodlust and leaped back several yards, glaring from a distance. Its mouth curled and revealed a crooked set of yellow stained teeth. It was sneering at his rage. 

From behind Fang four streams of fire jetted past and beelined straight for the beast. The sneer was wiped away the moment it noticed the infernos and sprang far to the side, but the flames followed. Millicent grumbled as she couldn't keep up with the oddly nimble creature. 

Fang took the opportunity to shout back to Riley, "Take patchy and defend him with your life!" Riley flinched at his command but swiftly worked in and out, carrying the male away from Fang and over to one of the remaining flames where he would be safe. 

When he returned focus to the beast, he recognized that Millicent's flames couldn't quite keep up with the beast in the darkness. It would shrink back into the shadows where Millicent couldn't see it, then pounce back out when it was safely away from the flames only to get shot at again by the increasingly irritated manipulator. 

It wasn't that Millicent's flames weren't quick enough, it was that they weren't quite that nimble. She couldn't change directions at the drop of a hat while the Bone Keeper darted like a sprinting rabbit fearing the fangs of a predator, nor could she abruptly come to a halt like a hummingbird mid-flight. With her limited sight and unwillingness to set fire to the whole prairie, she was a bit stuck. It was a game of cat and dog, but the cat was chasing the dog which would only mock the cat as it ran. 

On the other hand, the Bone Keeper couldn't make its move. The deadlock wasn't something it liked either but it had no way of stopping Millicent's assault without being burned and potentially fatally wounded. She was well protected and she didn't dare move. Didn't dare chase even as it taunted. It'd be possible to counterattack if she were by herself, even flames would take some time to bring it to death, and if it killed her then the flames would be easily dissipated and burn out in mere seconds. It'd be harmed but alive. 

But, with three other fighters to take into consideration, the odds were stacked against it and the Bone Keeper couldn't figure out a good strategy that would get it its prey and keep it alive. There weren't many options other than hoping that Millicent had a limit to her powers alongside her hesitance and subpar night vision. 

That all came crashing down. Not a single plot could get it out of that situation. The Bone Keeper's gray eyes widened as Fang rushed out and yowled. He snatched one of the Bone Keeper's fingers between his jaws and clamped down tight.

When the pair came down, Fang dug his feet into the ground and stood resolute. His hackles raised and his eyes glowed as he strengthened his body with all the demonic blood he could muster from his pulsing veins. 

The Bone Keeper leered at him and Millicent watched stunned, it didn't last as she rushed over and shoved her crimson glowing front paws into one of the fires. From it flew a serpent, slithering towards the Bone Keeper and Fang at an impressive speed. The beast yanked its finger back but Fang held on with all his might, not budging an inch despite the power behind each tug. 

The beast eyed Fang and the flames that approached and surrounded the pair with a growing scowl. The serpent glittered and then exploded into a massive wall of burning heat that enveloped the pair, swallowing them whole.

The Bone Keeper let out a screech at the screaming haze and threw its arm upward, taking Fang into the air, then whipping him right back down to the ground with an intensity that sent the Demonic Wolf's whole body reeling in shock. Fang gasped and his grip loosened only just enough that the next pull of the beast gave way to freedom.

It didn't take so much as a wink of time to regard the fallen male as it grit its teeth and leapt through the orange haze and away. It bounded away as quickly as it could into the darkness, forfeiting its prey for the second night in a row. It possibly left through a blind spot as the wall failed to dissipate with the disappearance of the beast. Millicent must've not seen it. 

Fang activated his telekinesis and connected it to Millicent's crimson web, his own taffy pink threads intertwining and forming a fusion of their thoughts. His mind shouted into her's. "Millicent! That's enough, it's gone." 

Millicent's eyes faded and dissolved the infernal wall, revealing Fang all alone to the trio. 

Fang's own pink glow faded as he released his telekinesis and relaxed his body. He edged into a sitting position, his hip and lower back throbbing from the blow to the ground, his mind still spinning a bit from the sheer force of the impact. They were right when they exclaimed the beast an apex predator, it had a great amount of raw brawn to do so much damage with one blow. 

When Fang finally shook himself out of it, he could finally rearrange his thoughts. It was a moment's victory for the group, but it still didn't solve the problem at hand. They needed the beast dead, and they weren't sure if it'd return twice in one night, especially since it knew of their defenses. After Millicent's display, it was sure to remember her and target her first next time. 

He spat filthy green blood from his mouth and stood up, staggering for a few steps before adjusting to the pain and strolling much more smoothly back to the girls. Nothing was broken but there were definitely going to be bruises later. Even if the physical boost provided by demonic blood protected his innards, muscles, and bones it didn't do squat for his skin. 

"Fang? Are you alright?" Millicent called as she rushed over to his side. She looked him up and down before being shoved to the side by Riley who followed up her sister's examination with one of her own. The still tired Angelica remained a curled up ball near the blotched male, refusing to move. Fang heaved a sigh and waved the two girls back. 

"I'm fine. All good. Just peachy. But that was the Bone Keeper, correct? So what'd we glean from this situation?" 

Millicent peered up at him and said, "Well, it's an adult, melanistic, and as clever as we assumed, but also not as persistent as usual Bone Keepers. It must've been disciplined. When I say that, I don't mean it was trained, just that it knew better. It might've dealt with similar situations before so it knew how to get out of our trap." 

"Like it knew to put out the closest flame while also getting me away from it all at once? That was probably the smartest move I've seen from a fauna yet," Fang said. 

"You can't compare beasts to normal animals, Fang," Riley chastised. "Beasts are unlike any other creature on this planet; much stronger and smarter than normal fauna. They're considered a different category for a reason. They're almost demons, in a convoluted way. It's also why everyone avoids the Northern Continent, being stuffed to the brim with all sorts of them." 

"Something demon-like but not quite a demon." It wasn't a question but a statement. Fang frowned and glanced back into the darkness. The beast's recovery time might be quicker than what they assumed if it were as astute as demonkind. Fang was never taught, never schooled in any way, but he wasn't a faded light, not a dull blade. The beasts of the world, he knew instinctively just what they might've been capable of. They weren't particularly easy to fight if you weren't aware of their weaknesses beforehand, as their sharp-witted combative natures would lead the incapable to their deaths. To journey around the world, especially the Northern Continent which was nicknamed the Beast Menagerie. 

He always felt a pang of pity for the demons who lived in the frozen wasteland that was North. Unless you lived near the ocean life was a constant battle of resources and fear. Beasts, deadly blizzards, and even demons fighting for one reason or another made up only a small number of the roadblocks and potential ends faced. Some could thrive in such a location, but usually only the determined, the lucky, or the cutthroat. Those without a spine and those without windfall would bite the dust in months. 

Some couldn't afford to move to another continent let alone another zone, and many would prefer to die in their homeland despite their dire circumstances. It was almost akin to the situation in the deserts in West. The desert tribes surviving off the limited oasis that existed and depending on their strongest fighters to tear the shields from the armored giants that populated those blistering sands. He'd have to hear about the place in more detail from Slash should the boy have ever wandered out to the sandy expanses. 

All of that was beside the point, though. He reeled himself back in and filed back into place. "So what does this mean?" He wasn't addressing anyone in particular, but there'd be an answer regardless of whether he had a target of his inquiry or not. 

"It means exactly what we saw! There's a Bone Keeper and now it wants us dead," Riley blurted. "Obviously we're a threat to it now and it'll want to remove us now that we've set our sights on its removal." 

"Fancy that. Do try to stay awake, then. We're not about to get killed because you couldn't go without your precious beauty sleep." 

"You're not good at jokes," Riley bit out. "Well, no problem! I'm not as much a spoiled princess as you think I am." 

"Then I'd like you to show me that," Fang said, smirking. 

Riley snorted. "Fine then, I will!" She spun around and stomped off to one of the fires. 

"No slacking!" Fang called after her, mirth in his voice. Riley's lack of reaction didn't bother him one bit, although she did bare her teeth at the darkness of the prairie, showing his words, though outwardly ignored, had their effects. 

Millicent watched her sister go and then sighed, slumping forward. She looked at Fang and scowled. "You shouldn't tease her too much, there'll definitely be consequences. I would know." 

Fang heeded her but then shook his head, a bright joy in his eyes. "Her pride reminds me of my brother. I couldn't help myself. Always so prideful when around her kin, but alone or in situations far too much to handle, frightened, and compliant. Just makes me want to bully her." Fang then motioned with his front paws, sitting on his haunches as he did so. "You know that little feeling, right? You see someone who acts like family and you just have these impulsive desires when it comes to them. To follow them, to harass them, to feel hate or joy at their presence. That sort of thing." 

Millicent eyed him carefully as if trying to figure out what was going on in his head. Fang only chuckled some more and then waved her off. "I'm going to rekindle the campfire and continue vigilance. Angelica, I want you on duty while Millicent rests and plans out a new course of action in the scenario the Bone Keeper returns. She's the one fighting against it so she'll need all the rest and focus she can get." 

Angelica stuck her tongue out and stood up from her curled up position. She trudged up to Fang and waggled her eyebrows, "Roger that, sir."

The beige and white she-wolf hasted into the darkness away from the safety of the light to set up her own surveillance position. Even if she weren't in the light, Angelica had superb night vision compared to her sisters and razor-sharp hearing. She was the safest in the dark; there was in no peril. But that was just another talent that she had. Angelica was always full of surprises. 

Fang and Millicent had exchanged a few more words before Fang set off for his aforementioned rekindling. With everyone else preoccupied, Millicent was left alone to watch over the blotched male who remained blissfully unaware of the help he was receiving. He'd been unconscious the entire day and Millicent feared he would remain so until the morning. With the amount of blood he lost, it seemed likely. She lifted a paw and tenderly petted the male's head, smoothing down his ruffled fur. She carded her claws through the fur; her eyes followed the even rise and fall of his chest, soon matching her breathing with his. He wasn't struggling. That was good. At least he seemed so much more peaceful than the morning. 

Her eyes drooped and she regarded her sisters from the corners of her eyes. Riley and Angelica were different from Millicent. They didn't particularly care about the wellbeing of others, instead, focusing selfishly on themselves and even forcing their own younger sister to do all of the work. She knew she wasn't trusted by them. They knew she knew. But they also knew that she had a ball and chain attached to her. That her difference made her connected to them on a level they couldn't ever be. Millicent knew love where her sisters did not. Her sisters certainly knew loyalty, but loyalty wasn't love, it wasn't an emotional bond that acted as the weight on their souls. 

She was an empath, a life lover, and a sad excuse for a sister. She wouldn't betray her sisters no matter what, even if they never loved her, even if all they did was treat her like a slave. They were her sisters, she couldn't just abandon them, could she? It really wasn't fair. Just wasn't fair. 

It really, really wasn't.

Fang's question - his question. If there really came a time where she was given the choice between her family and her happiness, could she make the decision to abandon her sisters? Strive for a future she didn't even know much about? Did she even have a future outside of those two? Did she even possess any sort of happiness inside the empty husk she called a body? What color was her soul at that moment?

Millicent's life had always been lived in the shadows of Riley; both beautiful and cunning, and Angelica; intelligent and intrepid. What exactly did she have compared to the two of them? Strength would get a hopeless; a pathless; a wishless; a lost demon so far. There was no bravery, no desire. She lived for her sisters' satisfaction. It had been like that since the day she was born. 

A servant born alongside princesses. She didn't even understand her own head. That question really messed with her, she was getting all fogged up and her heart was covered in fog. Rather annoying. 

Millicent squeezed her eyes shut and raised her head to the clear, moonless night sky. The crackling reaching her ears began to register now that she suppressed her issues. She peeked at the fire beside her and glowered. Her eyes followed the long shadow born from the orange lambent. It was dancing atop the grass and appeared so free-spirited even without actual life. 

Her eyes flicked back to the blotched male and she sighed. _'What have you gotten yourself into, I wonder? And what have I?'_

She really couldn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh sorry, this chapter took so long. Had terrible writer's block for it and for some reason I kept backpedaling certain things. Also, I couldn't find the right music to work with...   
> Again, no proofreading so if there're mistakes please inform me! Thanks for reading and any comments are appreciated! God knows I've been feeling incredibly unmotivated lately. Maybe... maybe I could get even a single kudos? 
> 
> Regardless, the third chapter of the Sacred Hellfire arc deals with the first appearance of the Bone Keeper. Fun! Also introduces Beasts as a concept. Beasts are VERY fun. Dragons are beasts too and they're in the story. ;)   
> Dragons definitely play a big part in this first book! Hope you guys stick with me!


	12. Sacred Hellfire - 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy eight thousand words of world-building.

_PK - Autumn, 1, 0000_

* * *

When the sun rose again, it was the first day of Autumn, the third season of the year. The remainder of the previous night was uneventful, with no further sightings of the Bone Keeper. The group eventually had gotten tired enough just to give up and sleep. Clearly, the beast wasn't coming back so they took that chance to get whatever rest they could. 

Millicent's eyelashes quivered and her heavy eyes gradually opened, her pupils shrinking in the pale morning light. In her hazy awareness, it took a few blinks to recall the hour, her ears twitching at the birdsong from the woods yonder. She lifted her head and yawned a mighty yawn, her mouth opening as wide as her jaws allowed. They shut with a clamp and she licked her muzzle and sniffled. Last night was exhausting, mentally, and physically. 

Her sights shifted to the blotched male, and her drowsy mind took a few terse moments to process the fact that his eyes were open and he was staring straight at her, clearly very awake and very tense. Her first thoughts were _'Oh fuck he's awake'_ but they quickly changed to _'Oh thank fuck he's awake.'_

She flinched as she noticed his eyes were glued to her; she was directly in front of him and thus the easiest to look at without moving a muscle. He was surrounded by strangers in a yet unknown location where he was injured and weak. To the male, the situation must've looked grim and frightening, but he was safe where he was. 

Millicent took a hot second to peek at her sisters and Fang, noticing all three of her companions were still deep asleep and undisturbed. She relaxed her body and faced the blotched male with more courage. She didn't bother standing and instead, she dragged herself closer to him, keeping a keen watch on how he somehow managed to tense even further what was already taut. 

She tried giving him her best comforting smile but it didn't seem to work, he might not have been able to see clearly. "Don't be alarmed. I mean no harm," she whispered. "You're safe here." His grey eyes lifted to meet her yellow gaze, but he couldn't hold the contact for long, quickly shifting away from their meeting. She expected as much. "How do you feel?" she tried. 

The blotched male seemed to try to move only for his face to twist in what appeared to be pain or distress. He drew his hind legs closer to himself and he made the effort to finally roll off his side and onto his stomach. He let out a deep breath once he was finally settled. "Terrible," he croaked, his voice broken and hoarse. Millicent's chest warmed with sympathy for the male's situation. 

"You're quite the robust one, I must admit. Your wounds were fatal and you were unconscious for a whole day, but you seem to be recovering fantastically." 

"I don't feel like I'm fantastically recovering. Who are you? Have any of you bonds with Mia?" 

"Those of us here aren't in Mia's church, so your wounds couldn't be healed as much as they could have. So sorry about that. As for who I am, my name is Millicent. The other three surrounding you are my sisters' Riley and Angelica, and our friend Fang." She gestured at each demon as she named them, then motioned to the male himself. "And you? Your name is?" 

He stared at her for a moment, "It's Başak. I'm a patrol wolf from Kintir in the Tapir Woodlands." 

"Kintir? Is that the pack in the woods over there? Is that Tapir?" Millicent sat up and pointed over to the woods behind the group, with Başak shifting to follow her sight. He nodded affirmingly and visibly deflated when he realized his location. "Oh ... I really hope your packmates are alright. That's where the thing fled." 

Başak whipped his head around, his eyes wide and gaze hard, "What happened to the Bone Keeper." he blurted. It wasn't a question, it was a demand. 

"We lost sight of it," she admitted, averting her gaze. "When you collapsed in front of us, it was morning and the beast was tired, it seemed to decide to sleep. When nightfall came it tried to attack again, probably to kill you, but we couldn't counter it and it bilked us." 

"Oh." Başak lowered his head and went lax. He flopped back onto his side. "I'm sorry," he muttered. He was ashamed and regretful. He ended up dragging a bunch of strangers into his situation; one he hardly understood himself at that. They had suffered because of him. 

"You should be," Riley interrupted. Millicent and Başak flinched at her voice and Başak did an about-face to see her slouched behind him. "We were kept up all night keeping you safe and the Bone Keeper even began targeting us, too! There's no apology that'll get me back my lost sleep. You'll just have to work that off with your cooperation." 

Millicent shook her head, "Ignore her, Başak. My sister's just a pit of endless hostility. Although, we do have some questions to ask you so could you please cooperate with us as she said?"

Riley's ears twitched as she heard Başak sigh. He turned back to Millicent and cocked his head. The others were rousing from their sleep at the noise, and once they were up, joined Millicent in front of Başak. After an entire night of coming up with questions, they finally had the chance to speak with Fang's fated encounter and the victim of such a confusing scenario. Riley stood to the side, looming over him with her half-lidded eyes locking him into place. As if being surrounded by strangers wasn't stressful enough, but having such a hostile she-wolf hovering over his shoulder was just too much. 

Başak groaned. "Alright, what do you want to know? I don't even know what you want to ask a random demon you just met, but shoot." 

Millicent sat up straight and took a deep breath. "Well, first I'd like to ask you if you'll be alright without further healing. Angelica's too tired to heal you anymore and we'd like to know if you're going to be okay." 

Riley openly scoffed at her sister. "Good God, Milly. Don't be so soft on him! Do you know how much trouble he's caused? You have the nerve to ask him if he'll be alright when he's nearly gotten us killed?" 

"He hasn't caused any trouble. You act like we don't deal with shit like this on a regular basis," Millicent shot back. She returned to Başak, "Sorry about her. You didn't do anything wrong, she just hates life. So, are you alright?" 

"Yes, I'll be fine." He paused to observe his wounds, scanning his whole body, and picking out every scratch. Slowly, he said, "I've run with worse." 

"Excellent! So then we don't need to help you anymore?" Angelica chirped. She was following Riley's lead with the sordid attitude for sure. Millicent once again bared her fangs and growled at her sister. "Oop!" Angelica shrank back and made herself as small as possible. "I'll be quiet, sorry."

"You better be. I want no more hostility towards him!" Millicent demanded. She shot Riley a warning glare before she could even open her mouth to make a sassy remark of any kind. When she felt she had finally silenced her sisters, she returned her focus to Başak and smiled apologetically at him. "Again, my sisters are bitches. In both senses of the term. Let's just go onto the next question; why was the Bone Keeper on your tail? How long was it chasing you? When did you find it?" 

"That was three..." he mumbled, mostly to himself. "Well, to give you the rundown, it was the evening before the morning you found me. As I had told Millicent - can I call you that? Okay, as I had told Millicent I was on a patrol with my pack's second in command and a couple of others when I came across it. It was a late-night patrol, so nearly all my pack was asleep at the time so nobody was around. My patrol left me behind to deal with some stuff we found and that's when it decided to show itself. Knowing Bone Keepers, it probably reacted negatively to me burying the bone pile we found just inside our territory. The others didn't touch it, only me, so it didn't bother chasing after the rest of my patrol, just me." he explained. 

"You seriously attacked that thing by yourself despite knowing what it was and what it was capable of?" Millicent said, flabbergasted. 

Başak quickly shook his head no. "Bone Keepers aren't native here, I didn't know that what I was attacking was a Bone Keeper. It was completely hidden, crouched in a ditch, and hidden behind a thick bunch of small trees. I had simply thought it was an intruder because I couldn't really smell what it was. I had mistaken it for a demon wearing scent blockers." He tensed, face pensive and digits gripping the soil. "When I pounced at it, I noticed only at the last second what I was dealing with. By that point, it was locked on me and all I could do was try and take it out while enduring its aggression." 

"Well shit, to a northern demon that'd be really dumb of you, but considering the circumstances, I suppose that's reasonable," Riley said. Then a condescending grin sprouted across her lips, "But still, attacking intruders alone - great plan! Were you really so confident in your strength?" 

"I can handle a few demons, yes. Even injured as I was, am. I was assigned a personal trainer by a goddess with my skills and physical condition later approved by her, so I'd assume I can take some strays," Başak said.

Riley's eyes widened and she visibly swallowed, though the grin on her face didn't fade she seemed at a loss for any comebacks. No wonder he had been so hardy, able to keep running despite his wounds. 

"However, before you go expecting too much of me, I have no elemental powers and my strength is average, I'm just a normal wolf; I have no blessings. Not to mention, it's a well-disciplined Bone Keeper, so it kept its distance and only attacked when it had an opening, watching for my ability to counterattack. I admit I was reckless," he continued. 

"And why didn' you call your pack for help? Surely you have a fire manipulator in there somewhere," Riley questioned cautiously. 

"I didn't want to get them involved. There are no fire manipulators in the pack. We're a small group of only eleven. None of them are from the Thousand Fires clan; we're mostly Toufati, including me." 

The youngest sister tilted her head. "How unusual. So it was too ingenious to kill, and there aren't any nearby fire users. Sounds like a pickle," Millicent muttered. She peeked at Fang, "Well, we have two fire users in our group, so at the very most you can borrow us, and at the very least we can escort you to find another." 

"Personally, I'd like us to kill the thing ourselves," Fang remarked. He was dead set on staying involved. 

"So you found some bones on your territory and buried them? Didn't you investigate them first? I know Bone Keepers aren't native here, but there could've been any number of traps behind those bones, and wouldn't they have scent leftover if they were put there by demons? On another hand, at least there would be residue left behind from the scent blockers if rubbed onto the bones," Millicent said. 

"Well, the leader of our patrol, Sudhir, didn't seem to think much of the bones, labeling it as dross, so he didn't bother to investigate it much. We don't see much trouble around these parts since it's so close to the sacred lands of Drew and Diana. At worst it was a threat to our ranks with a loner trying to win their way into our Alpha position, and at best a prank from the locals. Neither much reason to investigate, so he simply ordered me to bury the bones. Since he outranks me I can't ignore his commands," he explained.

Başak lowered his head in shame and exhaled through clenched teeth. It's true, one can't refuse the orders of their pack's chosen beta, regardless of what sort of heritage or strength they may have had. Just because Başak was trained by a goddess didn't mean he had any privileges. 

"Your beta sounds like a moron," Riley jeered. 

"He is," Başak agreed. Riley paused and raised an eyebrow. That had been unexpected. Letting a stranger spit venom and even agreeing with the trash talk of his beta? It was apparent Başak held limited loyalties to whoever this Sudhir demon was. "Well, actually, I remember we did spend a bit trying to sniff out a scent, but when we couldn't trace anything he just gave up and ordered the disposal. There weren't any signs of scent blockers so it was creepy." 

Riley's slowly processing brain seemed to take a few steps back and she nearly jumped. "Hold up, hold up. This is unrelated, but I was just curious. Leaving bones on someone's territory is a challenge to the Alpha to you?" 

Başak nodded. "It's a tradition here in the Diana Peninsula. I don't know what zone you folks come from but locally it's a common tradition. That's another reason why we brushed it off. If they were going to challenge our female then they'd show up anyway the next morning. But, I digress, that wasn't the case and it's not important." 

"That's interesting!" Riley had an odd glitter in her eyes. Was she really interested in that stuff? Well, to each their own.

"Sudhir has never been the most insightful of demons, so he's prone to making impulsive decisions without much forethought. We tend to overlook it because he's an amazing beta otherwise." 

"There's only so much you can overlook," Millicent muttered. "So, are you saying you would have tried harder to look into the bones before approaching them if you were the higher-ranked?" 

"Most certainly. I wouldn't have touched them until I was certain there wasn't a story behind their appearance on our land. It was just inside our border, too," Başak said. 

"Then you sound like a better leader than your actual beta," Riley scoffed. "Some people don't deserve to lead." 

Başak's gray eyes stared at the ground for some time before his eyelids fell over, covering. "...I know."

Riley narrowed her eyes at him, processing his behavior. He was an unusually passive demon. Especially if one took into consideration his apparent relations with a goddess. But, he could have been lying. It was probably for the best if they didn't take his words at face value. Her eyes flashed orange and she passed on the message to her sisters, making sure to keep Fang out of her loop. She only scowled when her sisters reminded her that Fang could see lies, and he hadn't said anything when Başak mentioned the goddess, which probably rectified what the blotched male said as the truth. 

Which brought her back to why is he so passive? She scrunched up her nose and snorted, "Does your pack support him or are they disapproving of his position?" 

Başak's ears twisted and he knit his brows. He spoke with a soft voice, the earlier hoarseness melting into thin air. "I mean no disrespect, ma'am, but you're asking a lot of questions about my pack. You're not involved with them so I don't see your curiosity's necessity. Our personal matters aren't a part of this situation." 

Riley scowled and began sashaying over to Millicent's side, "Right, my apologies. It's a habit to know everything I can about packs; to give me leverage in politics, in discussions. Keep out of bad terms, you understand?" she placed a paw on her sister's shoulder. "I have to talk my way out of situations to spare these ladies some pain. As the older sister, I have to make sure my cute younger siblings aren't in any danger. That means being able to placate and make deals. If I know a pack's problems I can come to an agreement much easier and get out of dodge all the sooner." 

Fang made a Fang but shifted so she wouldn't see. So that's why she was interested in the aforementioned bone tradition. Riley's need to know was out of her habit, but was she really solely interested in protecting her sisters, or was she doing it to keep herself stable?

"I see ... but, you don't have a quarrel with Kintir so that's unnecessary, I guess," Başak said. 

Fang stood, "We _digress_! Are we lending you our assistance or not?" 

Then there was silence, with even Riley shutting her mouth to scope out the male's answer. He hesitated for a long time, poking the question with a fork and tossing it about his plate before eating it. He treated it like a vegetable he was being forced to eat, scowling. Finally, he came to the decision and nodded, accepting their help. 

~~_________________~~

The group continued their discussion, eventually forming an agreement and something comparable to a plan. In between their planning, Riley squeezed out more information about the pack they were potentially going to deal with, Kintir. Such as the fact that Kintir was an ancient pack that rivaled Algus City in terms of how long it's existed. That put the pack at roughly a million years of existence, and they were the guardians of the border between the Diana Peninsula and its two neighboring zones, Shyblue and Quartz. They weren't nobodies even if they were a small group, and they were incredibly close to one another, meaning that Başak's disappearance was definitely a frustration for them. 

They convinced Başak to accompany them the entire time and lead them through their territory where the Bone Keeper was determined to be nesting. They also learned that the beast hadn't shown any signs of being there the day before the bone incident, meaning that it was only just placed in the area, or only just arrived there. It was to the east of the Tapir Woodlands, so it must've come from the ocean just as they had assumed. There weren't any settlements in the Diana Peninsula so that made it a free-range area for the beast. It could go a long time without being noticed before it made its way down to Tapir. 

Once he had been forced to eat a fire mole and regained his strength, Başak followed the four strangers back to the familiar woodlands. He moved with caution, wary of their words being a trap. He doubted they were there to hurt him, nobody would go through so much trouble. But, years of being told not to trust random strangers doesn't fade, and that distrustfulness has saved his hide more than once. It was always better safe than sorry. Even if they were genuinely helping, he could go without the snarky comments. He didn't even know their motives, as if a Bone Keeper wasn't enough of a motivation by itself. Besides, for what reason would they help him? He was an outsider they hardly knew anything about. 

They went out of their way to heal him when they could have left him to die. The white female, Riley, certainly was angry about it, but the other three seemed to silence her by majority vote. The thing about being a Demonic Wolf was you had to be careful about who you trusted. His mother told him over and over just how cruel the world was to the wide-eyed. 

Başak glossed over the quaint scenery, a quiet world blanketed by sunlight and even fluttering butterflies over the flowers in the Honey Herb Prairie. It felt so perverted. Just beyond the trees was a sleeping beast, a threat that's been known to slaughter for fun. It was dissonance at its finest. He pulled his thoughts away from land to demon as he gazed at Fang, watching the large male waltz into Tapir without reserve. His brisk, light steps were somehow simultaneously relaxed and alert. He moved quickly, but without any visible urgency like he was taking a simple stroll and sightseeing. The airs he gave off were both authoritative and comforting. Başak's muscles went lax and he trailed after the group, sticking closer to the back with who he perceived as the weakest of the sisters, the one known as Angelica. She completely ignored him. That was alright.

The plan Başak was told could barely be considered a plan. His job was to escort them through Kintir's territory in the Tapir Woodlands so they can gather more evidence and discover the beast's nest before his packmates end up stumbling across the creature. He wasn't bound to fight, he was just a security measure for them, and also bait. A big 'please attack us' sign. Başak was the primary target for the beast, but the chances of it going after the fire manipulators were equally high, and they weren't willing to take the risk of separating. They moved as a unit using both Millicent and Başak as the five-course meal for the predator. 

Speaking of Millicent. The she-wolf slipped to Başak's side and nudged him lightly with her shoulder, "Hey, when this is over, what're your plans for the corpse?" 

"Corpse?!" Başak exclaimed before he could bite down the word. He promptly winced and brought his voice down. "Do you mean the Bone Keeper's body?" 

"Yes," She said. "Do you want to keep it for proof? Or should we just go ahead and cremate it? We're more than capable of taking it down to Shyblue to have it disposed of." 

Would they really haul that corpse all the way to the next zone? That's more work than even his mother's willing to put in. Başak weighed his options before clicking his tongue. "Yeah, I'll keep the corpse. It'll be up to Somphou and Sudhir what happens to it. I'd at least like some proof of my strife and an explanation for your scents on our territory." 

He then quickly added, "And I can't make you do more than you're already doing. That'd be selfish! I'm still not sure what to give as a reward. We don't have much." 

Riley's ears had perked up at the word 'reward'. Başak watched with some nerves as Riley stopped walking and turned slowly to him, a smile dawning. "You're planning to reward us?" 

"Obviously! I can't just have you help me with it for free. I don't have anything worth much, however. Don't expect anything big."

Riley frowned. "Then it's not worth our time. Save it for when you do have something." She quickened her pace and overtook the others, huffing as she went. Başak's ears fell, an unease bubbling in his stomach.

So that didn't really go well. 

Riley was difficult to please. Though, he felt unusually unmoved by her words -her petty hatred. Başak knew her kind well; the type who refused to be happy unless others were suffering under their claws. She was full of hot air, and he bet that in a real fight she wouldn't know how to handle herself. If it came to the point Riley picked a fight, he wouldn't hesitate to show her what he was all about. His wounds wouldn't be a bother in the least. Not against her. He didn't know her, but he had his doubts. 

"Why do they call this place the Tapir Woodlands?" 

The question caught him off guard. Başak glanced over at Fang, who had been the one to ask. His jaw went a little slack and he gave a tiny nod. He wasn't expecting the male to speak to him. Fang had left all of the talking to Millicent and Riley thus far, with both he and Angelica mostly observers. He seemed the most determined to remain strictly on topic, so for him to stray like that had Başak taken aback. When he realized he was just staring without answering, he floundered a bit over his words before finally spitting something coherent out. 

"A legend from history." A rather ambiguous legend, to be more specific. But he wasn't about to say that. The legend itself was preposterous and Başak had laughed for ten full minutes when his alpha had spoken the story with an air of mystery and a stern face. It seemed like she believed it wholeheartedly, and Başak was victim to her embarrassed wrath. A just punishment of a full half-hour of tongue lashings from his alpha. Sudhir laughed at _him_ the whole time. As much as he wanted to wipe the smug smirk off the guy's face he couldn't bring himself to raise a claw to the pack beta. 

"A legend, as in some ancient story? Is it an oral tradition for your pack?" Fang asked. "I heard older packs have the unique tradition of having a particular origin story told orally from generation to generation." He was thinking that the four core Sin Scavenger packs his mother told him about had these stories, but he had yet to hear from Slash and he wasn't about to just randomly connect to his brother so he'd just have to suffer the curiosity. 

"Uh, yes. Would you like to hear about it? I don't believe in it, but it's a good bedtime story to tell pups." 

"Sure, why not."

Fang called the girls to stop walking and he sat under one of the woodland's trademark maple trees, which never actually produced maple syrup considering the climate was improper. The three girls gathered by him and almost encircled him, laying all around him. 

Başak's face twitched, and he groaned a bit. "Alright ... well, I was told the story when I first entered the pack some years ago, but it's easy to remember so don't worry about how I tell it." 

He cleared his throat. "Once, a very, very long time ago, there was a great Tapir that was taller than a house. The Tapir was said to have stood nearly fifty feet tall at the shoulder, and was seen as a god in the past due to its long lifespan and enormous body. The Tapir loved to travel, see, and it went from place to place trying to find the right place to settle down. Then it came here, to the Diana Peninsula where it stumbled across a beautiful maple wood. The Tapir came across a nice clearing in the middle of the woods and decided it would make a camp for the time being. Thus, the Tapir slept in the maple wood every night. As the days passed, the Tapir found that it loved the woodlands dearly, and settled down for good there. The local demons saw the woodlands as the Tapir's territory, and thus the place was dubbed The Tapir's Woodlands. It's said that a group of wolves eventually came together to defend the land from intruders and revered the Tapir as their ruling deity, but eventually, the Tapir resumed its traveling, leaving the wolves in charge of the clearing, and assigned them guardians of the borders. Thus, Kintir came to exist in the Tapir Woodlands and became guardians of the holy grounds. The rest is a long history." 

Başak was quiet for a long pause, watching the reactions of the group after the end, and seeing how subdued they were he smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I told you it was a story for pups. In the first place, there aren't even Tapirs in Central. Second, I doubt they could grow to such monumental sizes." 

"I wouldn't be so sure. Lots can happen in a million years. Besides, this is a world full of magic and demonic energy. If we have magic that can bend nature itself, then I'm sure there's magic to make animals unusual sizes. Then again, it might've been banned from use." 

"I suppose..." Başak agreed. "Is there anything you know?" 

"About what?" 

"Erm, well, do you know any stories or historical nonsense? Actually, where do you come from? Are you locals or are you just passing through traveling around?" 

Fang smiled, a warmth floating around him. "I know a few things, but they're common so it's nothing worth saying. As for where we come from, I'm a native to this zone. More specifically, I'm from Diana. I spent a lot of time in Drew, too." 

Başak froze and nearly sputtered, "The sacred lands?! You mean you lived in the homeland of the Axis and her missionary?" 

Fang nodded, "Yes. I even met the two themselves!" 

"Talk about a fortunate encounter. Of course, if we're talking about chance encounters I've got you beat," Başak said with some pride. He puffed out his scruffy chest and preened. "And you know, these woods have quite the history, too. Kintir has fought off many terrors through the generations, never failing to rise up from the flames and ashes as does the great phoenix. We always prevail." 

"You sound like a strong group," Fang mused. "How does it feel to be a part of such a hearty pack? I bet nobody messes with you knowing who's backing you up." 

Başak showed a bit of shyness, "We get by." 

"We should get a move on," Fang said, standing. "Wasting daylight means we'll remise our position on the catbird seat." he stepped over Riley's lax body and trotted a few paces to a generous break in the leaves, halting under the light beam. He took a deep breath and raised his head to the sky, his eyes keen as he gazed through the opening. 

The girls carefully got up but seemed in no hurry to move. They simply observed Fang from their place beneath the maple tree, all four quiet. To the sisters, this was normal, but to Başak this was unusual, a new experience and he was flustered by the contemplativeness of the group. He looked from Fang to the sky and back, then he just got more confused because nothing was up there but the sky and some clouds. Başak nudged Millicent and pointed at Fang, his face screwed up. 

Millicent hid her smile behind her paw. "He's reading the clouds." 

"Reading them? The clouds? What?" 

"Indeed. When he stares at the cloud, he can peek into the future in some way, kind of like the seer half of the Amuma clan." 

"Like? So he's not an Amuma, but he has seer abilities?" 

"Yeah, you know about birthright abilities, don't you?" 

"Of course I know about birthright abilities. Does he have any other abilities? And what’s his clan?" 

Millicent paused and frowned. "Well, he's actually ... I don't know his clan but he's got a few abilities. One is summoning a flame, one is using clouds for fortune-telling, and another is lie detection." 

He was a lie detector? Thank the goddesses that Başak wasn't much of a liar. He hadn't felt the need to lie to the group, but should he have made the mistake of trying to lie he could only wonder what the consequences would've been. The only hostile one was Riley, so at most he'd be prodded by her for lying, but somehow he couldn't help but imagine she'd be getting ribbed by Fang, too. She seemed a bit too shallow to be the honest sort.

But, back on the subject of Fang. He was the sort who had no idea what clan they were from. Fang had such a mismatched set of abilities that it was impossible to pinpoint which of the sixteen clans he was in regardless. His body shape was strange, too. His legs were unusually long for a wolf and he was huge, but yet his body was rather slender which placed him firmly outside of Fenrillis territory. Maybe he actually was an Amuma, but it was strange since his fur was too ruffled, too thick. And there was the crest of raised fur along the back of his neck. He wasn't like any Demonic Wolf Başak had seen before. 

Still, he'd gotten his answers. Başak shifted away from her and frowned. By this point in time, Fang lowered his head and closed his eyes. The girls pattered over to his side and prodded him for answers, but the one they received was rather subdued. He simply told them that they were safe to continue into Kintir territory officially, and what direction to head in. 

Fang paused and sniffed the air for a sharp second, then went on ahead, leading the girls through the woods and into Başak's home territory. Başak followed a little helplessly, skirting the group and staying on the lookout for any nearby demons or scents. Everything came up clean aside from stale scents and his own chaotic blood trail. He found it odd how nobody came to find him despite the fact that an entire day had passed. Possibly there was something holding them up, or worse... 

No. It was better not to have those delusions. They were fine, and once they took care of this Bone Keeper Başak would return to camp and greet his pack, assuring them of his safety and seeing everyone happy and smiling. That's how it was going to go, and nobody was going to die that day. 

It didn't take long for Başak to notice they were headed towards the burial site and the origin of the attack. Taking that into consideration he carried on past them, leading the way this time and guiding them safely through his patrol route and to the endpoint location. He carefully showed them the exact place he buried them and the position he found the Bone Keeper. He dug up the shallow grave and tugged the bones back up to daylight for the group to observe. 

Angelica stepped up and sniffed at the bones, then dusted the dirt off. "Wow, these are really stripped clean! I wonder what it was going to use them for. It was covered in a lot of jewelry already, so I can't imagine it wanting any more." 

"Why isn't anyone from your pack investigating this? Shouldn't someone have come to check this out yet?" Fang asked. 

"I don't know. I have no clue what's happening. All the scents are stale. There's something wrong." Başak felt the beginnings of panic bubbling up in his veins, his lungs seemed to collapse on themselves and he grimaced. The freshest scent was from that night two days ago. There was something very wrong, but hell if he knew what it was. His pack would have investigated everything by now, retraced their steps to find out what happened to him. Yet, they were nowhere to be seen. Not even a single howl was sent out in the morning. They didn't just abandon him, did they? Kintir was a small group, everyone there was family. It was unimaginable that they'd just- 

"Do you think it might have something to do with the Bone Keeper's enabler?" Angelica asked, glancing back at Fang. 

Başak's mind cracked and his thoughts shut down. "Enabler? Wait what theories do you have? Oh, I never even thought to ask about what the Bone Keeper is doing here! You guys probably have more figured out. Please tell me!" 

Fang huffed and frowned at dried blood in the dirt, right near the Bone Keeper's stalking position from the fateful night. He didn't really register the query so much as he just let it fall into his consciousness, letting his body autopilot an explanation. "We're thinking someone transported and raised a melanistic Bone Keeper for the purpose of releasing it here and terrorizing the locals. We've confirmed the beast is intelligent, trained, healthy, mutated, and loathes you. We've also confirmed it was taken first from North, then to East, then to here while somehow not being discovered, meaning that it was someone in a high position of power who did this. Maybe it was a game, and maybe there was maliciousness behind the act, but regardless, it was done with preparation. They knew what they were doing but their motives are still unknown." 

Başak frowned. "What motives would someone have to release it into the holy lands? Is this something anti-Axis? Their aim is really off if that's the case." 

Fang raised an eyebrow and licked his teeth, considering Başak for a few moments. He spoke with a firm voice, "Somehow I don't think this is an effort against Keshawn." 

The girls all paused and sent each other worried glances. Başak just narrowed his eyes and shifted to face Fang properly. "Why?" 

"They're two seasons too late. The Axis just isn't here anymore. Nor is Blue. They're both ... gone already." He suddenly looked exhausted, and every word was dragged kicking and screaming from his lungs. "Plus, it could have - _would have_ been released so much closer. Diana is right on the shore, but Tapir is by the Trinity Wing Gulf which is the most likely drop-off location and that's far away from Diana," he explained.

"It'd have to travel over fifty miles to get anywhere near Diana when it could have just been released straight into the woods from the ocean instead of the gulf. It would also take some time to get here from Diana and vice versa, and I lived in Diana until just recently so I should have seen it. It doesn't make any sense," Fang continued. 

"What do you mean they aren't here anymore? I understand they travel but ... you talk as if they've died." 

"They have died. Both of them are gone from this world." He paused. "Blue's gone, that's for certain. But, the Axis I'm a bit more ambiguous on. I haven't seen or heard from her since the middle of spring. She vanished one day and I understood by my father's dark look that she wasn't coming back. She was going for good; I accepted that." Fang raised his head and locked eyes with Başak, like sharp daggers goring him and staining glittering blades with crimson. 

"Her era has ended."

He said it so matter of factly that it was impossible. The era of Keshawn was over. She was gone. Başak felt an unusual calm settle over him at the revelation. He never knew her, he didn't know how to mourn the dead either. Somehow, he didn't feel bad about her being gone, but something ate him from the back of his mind. 

Without Keshawn ... what would happen to the world? Then it struck him. 

He shot up and met Fang's eyes with fear burning within. "Is this the first?" Fang tilted his head and Başak just knew he was onto something. He had him listening. He was going to go places. He swallowed down a dry throat. "Without the symbol of peace walking around and enforcing the laws, where is the fence between disorder and our current ways of life? Without Keshawn, the world could fall back into discord. Do you think that this is just the first taste of it? The first person who realized that Keshawn was nowhere to be seen? That they could wreak havoc without having to worry about the evangelist? There's nothing to fear. Not anymore." 

Fang nodded, just a single firm bob of his head and he grinned lopsidedly. "You're catching on fast. So, let's start over. The motives of the Bone Keeper's owner are a mystery, but the malignancy is there. Obviously, they knew how to access this place quietly without disturbing anyone in the Trinity Wing Gulf and then let it loose. Right now the motives shouldn't be our focus, but finding where it's nesting should be our priority. With that information in mind, let's head north." 

Angelica perked up and raised her paw like a child at a school, "Oh! Another thing!" Başak and Fang both frowned and peered at her. "What if the proprietor is still here and that's why Kintir is stalled? There could be interference preventing them from getting in the Bone Keeper's way!" 

Başak's scowl deepened. Now it wasn't just him, but his pack, too. Hell, what was going on? 

  
  


They plunged deeper into Tapir, following Fang's instincts, and pushed north towards the Trinity Wing Gulf. The more information they collected, the more it seemed that it was an attack directly on Kintir like they were the targets from the beginning. But, why a Bone Keeper instead of assassins? The Pernicious Plums would have been a much better choice to attack Başak's pack than a hardly manageable beast. Not to mention they had enough skill to keep the other ten held up and trapped in the camp. Unless they already killed them all while Başak was with the travelers. 

He stomped heavily as he ran, kicking up twigs and leaves and dirt. It was annoying, it was frustrating, and it made no sense! 

"Calm down, Başak!" Millicent leapt in front of him and sent him skidding to a halt, the others soon stopped as well. "You're causing a ruckus. Why?" 

Başak lowered his head and avoided her gaze, "Sorry, Millicent. I'm just angry. And confused. It's nothing." 

One of Millicent's ears pressed down and she cocked her head. "You don't need to get rowdy."

Başak mumbled an apology to her and pivoted on his heels, ready to take off again. 

"Hold on!" Fang bolted in front of the group and stood defensively, guarding them as his lips curled and his fangs were bared. The girls all flinched and rushed to surround Başak, ready to protect him from anything. Fang stood there, frozen for the moment as his eyes were glued on one spot. 

From a blind spot emerged a dark figure; the Bone Keeper. Unlike before, it stood calmly, watching the group with an observant eye. Its eyes settled on Fang and the male grimaced, sidestepping away from the group. The beast's eyes followed him and it growled. It seemed to consider whether lashing out was worth it or not. 

"Fang?!" Riley gawked at him. "I thought you said we were safe!" 

Fang kept silent, but his eyebrows shot up and he loosened his stance. "Oh, we're safe."

Fang smirked and stood strong. Riley closed her eyes and turned away but Başak stared with fascination. Fang's eyes glowed bright pink and it felt like the very world around them shifted. Başak's chest thudded. Just then, the Bone Keeper launched for him, claws outstretched and a loud screech erupting from its chest. 

The Bone Keeper phased right through Fang, and it landed behind him with complete silence, not a single speck of dirt moving out of place as it landed. The whole thing seemed to flicker and its growls sounded so far away, and Başak could hear it echoing softly inside his head. It was like a ghost barely integrated with reality. Intangible. 

The glow of Fang's eyes intensified and the beast flickered in and out of existence, soon vanishing for good alongside the soft noises that were locked and bouncing about in their skulls. Fang huffed and glanced at Başak and the girls. "An illusion," he said. "Just a phantom sent to trick us." 

"An ... illusion?" Millicent edged to the spot the Bone Keeper's phantom just was, and she peered to where it came from, craning her neck. "Was it magic? Or someone's ability?" 

"Magic," Fang stated. He pursed his lips and seemed to roll it around in his head before coming back to that same conclusion and nodding with finality. "That was a spell used to take existing memories and spread dread. It essentially traps demons in their own minds or locks them in a shared experience like just now. This was clearly an inexperienced usage of the spell, however, as they failed to manipulate the surrounding environment alongside creating the mirage. It was too obvious." 

Millicent's tail slipped between her legs and she nodded.

Riley came stomping over to Fang and she slammed a paw in front of him; the male raised his chin and looked down at her with half-lidded eyes. "That was dirty! You scared the hell out of me!" 

He shrugged and backed up. "Yup. It was a good scare, wasn't it?" He then scrunched up his nose. "I don't see why you're sore with me, since I told you it was safe and I even dispelled the illusion as quickly as I could." 

Riley snorted. "You can use all the excuses in the book, you could have said 'it's an illusion' instead of 'we're safe’ when it appeared! Words, boy, words!" 

Fang rolled his eyes and stretched his legs out one by one. Then with a final yawn, he said, "You're just mad because you didn't notice it first." He was really too used to her accusations. Riley let out one last scoff and turned away. Fang sent a smirk after her, then turned to Başak. "Anyway, that was a nice treat. I guess we know that we're being watched now." 

Başak hesitated and neared Fang. "Let's keep moving?" 

Fang scuffed the ground and seemed to silently consent, following Riley as she carried on towards Trinity Wing. Başak rushed over to Fang's side and stuck close to him as they walked. He kept quiet for the moment, but he couldn't help but take a closer look at the male. When Fang used his telekinesis just then, there was something odd about the energy surrounding him. He took a shot in the dark.

"Fang, can you activate your telekinesis for me?" 

Fang perked up and shot him a surprised look. "Why?" 

Oh, right, the obvious 'why' question. Okay, he could make it sound not creepy. "Oh, I just, want to see?" 

Nice. 

Fang considered him for a moment, then shrugged and did as he was requested. His eyes began glowing bright pink, and he spread the aura throughout his body without even being told, dyeing his body in a faint pink radiance. 

Just as he thought. There was an odd disturbance in Fang's demonic energy like it was tainted. He inspected the aura then turned away to think. Fang took that as a signal that he could stop and shut off his telekinesis; the aura faded. He knew what sort of disturbance that was, but what type it was, he had to mull about it for a while before he could sort everything out. Başak took a hot look at Fang again. This time, he observed his body, going nose to tail tip. He was so strange. 

Başak didn't understand his feelings at all, but something deep and instinctual inside of him began tossing and turning, writhing and trying to reach the surface. He wanted to know. It was a need gnawing at him. Who was this demon? Why was he there? Why did Başak feel so intrigued by him?

"Fang. Tell me, who are you exactly?" 

Fang's face darkened, "What do you mean? You know who I am." he refused to look at Başak; something was poked with that question. 

"Yes, but your name isn't everything. I'm just ... what makes me curious is why you're-" he stopped himself and glanced back at the two girls following behind them, then up at Riley. None of them seemed to be paying attention to the two of them, but he wasn't willing to take any chances with them. "Never mind," he said, finally. 

Fang glowered. "What?" Fang was taken aback by Başak's words. His brows knit together and he set his jaw. 

Başak swallowed hard and decided that if he was digging that grave he was going all the way to the core of the planet. He activated his telekinesis, his eyes glittering like gold, and he entered Fang's mind, whispering into him. _"You seem to be afflicted with a powerful curse. The curse of a Demigod. Fang, why are you cursed?"_

Fang snorted and seemed to relax. Despite the bitterness in his eyes, his heart didn't waver and he spoke calmly. "Başak, the gods are twisted beings; always fickle. Demigods are even worse with their arrogance, being susceptible to the world's whims while standing above their peers like a bird on its perch watching a struggling worm. They abuse their power at the slightest hint of provocation. They act like their words are the law of the universe even if the power they truly hold is dismal. They're really such a pain." 

Başak gawked at Fang's words, not expecting such a thing to spill out. But, it was enough information to build a story. Then, Fang gave Başak an odd look. It resembled his usual aloof expression, but there was a hint of something else tugging at his features, just barely. "You should be careful crossing their paths, Başak. You could end up paying a nasty price for meeting a Demigod." 

Unable to respond, Başak dumbly nodded and watched as Fang sped up. "Let's go. We're almost where we need to be." 

Başak hesitated before bolting after him. The day was only just beginning. 


	13. Sacred Hellfire - 5

_PK - Autumn, 1, 0000_

* * *

Fang led the group to the opposite edge of the woods, having skirted Kintir's camp and the main area completely to come out behind it. It was far from the place Başak had been attacked, but that only meant that it was a good place for the Bone Keeper to retreat. He grinned when he saw some bones scattered around, all scentless and clean; just like the bones Başak happened upon. "Bullseye girls. And Başak."

They were still a few miles from the Trinity Wing Gulf, but it wasn't as if there were a port there; just an empty field and a beach demons enjoyed relaxing and playing at. Getting too close to the gulf was something Başak was typically told not to do, so he avoided the place and never ventured this deep into the area. He sniffed the air and caught the distant scent of the salty ocean, then he turned his head down to the scattered set of bones they came across. They were definitely animal bones just by shape alone. He could tell, it was an eagle torn apart here. 

The group switched from striding to skulking, moving into the underbrush as they discovered the hoard of leavings that signaled the beast's nest. In the focused silence, everyone alert and waiting for any sign they weren't alone, Millicent took the opportunity to examine Başak closer, observing how he moved. His injuries weren't fully healed and had nasty scabs covering them; he looked quite terrible. Even though he was still hurt he ran well, stalked well, and made no noise or complaints. He was stronger than he looked. 

The way he was stalking through the underbrush without any hint of strain or stumble, it almost made her impressed, but she should've known he was tough already from the very fact that he was even alive. Millicent began to try and mimic Başak's movements to see just how he was functioning. Her eyes narrowed at the difference in her own stride when copying him. She was more balanced and her paws stepped lighter with less noise. She didn't feel as sturdy, so it was definitely the type of stance that readied a wolf for an instantaneous movement. A brisk change in direction that their species wasn't really known for. Wolves weren't very nimble, but the stance they were using made it feel like they could be as swift as a rabbit. 

Or at least that's how Millicent saw it. Regardless, he was a lot more capable than she had originally imagined. Before he or any of the others could notice, she slipped back into her usual stride and kept on until she was given the signal to stop moving by Fang. 

The five came to a halt and everyone crouched down, ears perked and alert and eyes trained on their makeshift leader as he sniffed. His eyes darted between browning shrubs and motionless trees. He glanced back and nodded to Millicent, who took the signal and began slinking away, backpedaling until she was crouched beside a rather large maple tree with nearly completely red leaves. Her gaze didn't leave Fang even once. 

He then nodded to the other three. Angelica moved Başak to a group of tightly packed trees surrounded by thick undergrowth, hiding both him and herself within. Riley laid defensively in front of the pair, her tail touching the root of a tree as her eyes gently glowed. Fang watched her for a moment and she soon nodded to him with certainty. The time was right. Başak couldn't help but silently question what was going on. But he knew one thing; it was time for blood to spill. 

Standing up straight, Fang let out a loud snarling yell. He raised his bristled tail and seemed to dare fate itself into attacking. From within the nest, a pair of esurient gray eyes opened and flickered at the noise. Stirring, the beast rose from the ditch it found rest in. Long teeth of several inches flashed, grinding together as it threatened to bite. With a huff, Fang leapt up onto a log to make himself a bigger target, fully monopolizing the beast's attention.

Bone Keepers were intelligent creatures but lacked patience. The two stared at one another for a short while as a result. They both tried to goad the other into attacking. The beast made subtle visible threats and pretended that it would flee, but Fang stood strong gazing right at its filthy face. They both seemed to understand the other wouldn't run or instigate the battle so it was a deadlock. 

Understandably, the Bone Keeper's patience withered and it reached out, gripping a nearby young tree. The trunk was turned to a stick under the powerful hand of the beast. The Bone Keeper then tossed the tree to the side having torn it from the soil; it was furious at Fang, but also at Millicent for things the two wolves couldn't comprehend. Just like in the dead of night, the beast and Fang locked gazes and the beast sprung at him. Its frog-like legs shot it far from the ditch towards Fang. It swung its claws at him with crude killing intent. 

Fang leapt out of the way and the claws smashed into the log sending rotted chippings everywhere. Riley ducked as splinters came flying at her face; a barrier was set up by Angelica and the tiny 'threats' bounced away. When she raised her head again she saw the beast's free hand fly out at the dodger.

"Fang!" Her warning was too late. 

Fang gasped as the large hand came around snatching him while airborne. Those thin arms and bony fingers had tremendous strength stowed away. The hand used to attack secured the squirming wolf, giving the beats a sense of accomplishment for once. Always jumping and flying and slipping away from its claws. 

Attempting to gnaw his way to freedom, he bit down on the hands. His head at an awkward angle was unable to let his fangs pierce the thick, leathery skin of the Bone Keeper. The beast was not only unharmed by his struggle but also amused. It cackled and the corners of its mouth spread further. 

It began to crush the wolf in its hands, causing him to screech in pain. Fang shut his eyes tight and gnashed his teeth, but his look of agony quickly faded. His eyes glowed pink from within his lids and he sent the message to Millicent, _"Your turn. Good luck,"_ He peeked at her with one eye and nodded as five flames appeared from thin air and shot towards her. 

Millicent's eyes glowed red as she took control of the flames and twirled the five spheres around her neck. The beast's eyes had followed Fang's fire only to spot Millicent. It was too focused on the male and forwent the idea that she was around as well. The one who created a brilliant display of infernal heat. 

She shot one of the embers, enraging the flame into a massive whip. It slashed at the beast's wrists, making it screech in horror; it was made to release Fang who dropped onto all fours.

The flame quickly retreated to Millicent's side as Fang bolted to a safe distance. The whip became a sphere once more and calmly joined the other four as they swirled around Millicent's neck. 

Her eyes flicked over to Fang making sure he was alright. Seeing as he was running normally and wasn't limping, she let her spirit rest. As soon as she went to look back to the Bone Keeper, its splayed hand was in her face. 

The beast assaulted the flame-user in a matter of seconds, striking her front and tossing her into a nearby tree. 

Unable to handle the impact, the tree was knocked over and the she-wolf rolled off, struggling to stand up quickly. 

The flames around her neck dissipated without her concentration, leaving her without a weapon or defense.

"Milly, look out!"

Millicent's head whipped around as she heard Riley's voice, and before she knew it, the Bone Keeper was readying another swing at her with the distance between already closed. She ducked on instinct, allowing the hand to fly overhead as she pressed against the ground. 

Pushing off the ground, she flung herself between the beast's legs and came out the other side rushing back to the group. "Fang!" 

Without being asked, he created five more flames and they were sicced on Millicent who allowed them to cover her in a set fiery armor. Every inch of Millicent's body became covered in a blaze, with only two glowing red eyes to be seen. The Bone Keeper halted its attacks and glared at the walking inferno.

"Try me," She growled.

It took a step back and cross-examined the visible enemies, vying for the weakest one. It was changing tactics. It snorted loudly through its nose and turned to rush at Riley who was standing guard beside the three maple trees. 

"Bastard," Fang shot out and latched onto the Bone Keeper's ankle, digging into the foul-tasting flesh. Pulling its foot back just as it was about to jump he caused the beast to stumble and collapse to the ground. It rose using its arms as support and dug into Fang with frosty silver daggers. 

It shook its foot and pulled away from Fang's grip, kicking back sending him tumbling away. Riley and the other two transferred away from the battlefield to a safer location. Millicent stood alone as she approached the downed beast. "You've been annoying. Attacking everyone but the one you were meant to attack. You didn't even search for him. A reason?" The Bone Keeper eyed Millicent as she inched nearer and nearer. It gathered itself and raised back to its feet, turning to face her. "Come to think of it, you could have chased him during the day but you didn't. He was exhausted and yet you never took that chance. Why is that?" 

The beast, clearly not happy with her points, readied to attack her again. Millicent's head bowed and all of the fire armor fled her body, engulfing the Bone Keeper. The beast screeched wildly as the temperature rose and rose, charring the skin and making it shrivel like prunes. Its blood seethed and its eyes were rotted shut, the screaming didn't stop as it collapsed to its hands and knees. 

Millicent sighed as she now focused the heat to the neck, searing through the flesh and muscle to the bones. Charred and still coated in embers, the lifeless head detached and made a light thud as it hit the dirt. Once she was certain everything was burned to ash, she let up and stepped away. All that was left was a mummified headless corpse not even worthy of being called a body. All the blood had evaporated leaving a husk behind with nothing left for even the most tenacious of scavengers. She wasn't sure that even the worms would want it. 

Fang stood not far away, processing what Millicent had just done. Her thorough killing of the beast left a dryness in his mouth; his tongue felt stuff to his hard palate. He examined the leftovers and sent the message to the others to return. He stepped to Millicent's side and whispered to her, "No harm done?"

She nodded to him approvingly. "It wasn't as tough as presumed."

The two moved away from the honest-to-god disgraceful smell the corpse let off and met up with the three runaways. Angelica jumped over and nuzzled her sister. "Good job Milly! You did great!"

Millicent shrank at the praise and eyed Başak. "Are you alright?" she asked. Başak snorted and plopped down, shaking his head with a breathless chuckle. Was he alright? The thing didn't even touch him. 

"How about you?" he said instead. He wouldn't dare backtalk his savior, let alone call her stupid. "That tree couldn't even handle the impact of you hitting it. Did you not bruise by some miraculous chance? Or are you just that tough?" She was walking it off fine enough, at least. 

Still, Millicent rolled her eyes and seemed to roll her answer around, clicking her tongue once before finally spilling her words. "A little sore; nothing I can't handle. But, that's not really important. Bruises will heal just fine on their own." 

Başak tilted his head, "Okay, so what is important?" He asked. 

"The Bone Keeper is dead," she answered with a shrug. "Thanks for escorting us through Kintir's territory. Though, your pack hasn't been a bit of a danger to us. I guess the next thing to do would be figuring out where exactly they are and what's holding them up." 

"Nah, we don't need to do that!" Riley said as she jogged past, flicking her sister on the nose as she went. She took a gander at the Bone Keeper's corpse and she felt her whole mouth go dry at the sight of the remains. She swallowed despite not needing to and sneered. ' _Remind me not to piss her off...'_

Başak and Millicent spoke at the same instant, "Why not?" The two looked at one another and Millicent raised an eyebrow at the male. He returned her a sheepish smile and a shrug. His eyes quickly darted to the ground and scanned the dirt emptily.

"I can handle it," Başak said, his head bowed. "You shouldn't do anything else, I've got it." 

"Are you sure?" Fang asked. He finally approached the group and stood near Başak. He watched as Başak glanced up at him and then shrank back again. The two males stood separate as the sister trio all began buzzing. Fang shook his head and finally sat next to Başak, "So do you plan to take the corpse as a reward? Or are you going to dispose of it?" 

Başak chuckled. "Yeah, no thanks. It smells terrible and I feel queasy just being this close. I can't imagine trying to keep it around for any longer. Then again, I need proof that this thing was here, that is attacked us. But..." His eyelids fell, and a shadow fell over his face. But what if his pack got attacked when he didn't know? He was being anxious and it was probably annoying for him to keep thinking about it, but he couldn't help himself. This was his adoptive family; he couldn't just _not_ worry about them. After a long moment of silence, "Thank you for helping me."

Fang regarded him with a poker face and nodded ever so slightly. "I wish I could do something in return for this. But, you wouldn't accept just anything, would you?" Başak gave a sly smile and lifted his gaze to meet Fang's. 

"The only thing I demand in return is that when you find your buddies you speak kindly of us." 

"Deal." Başak gave a big nod and beamed at Fang. Still, he felt he needed to do something for the favors, anything at all. Then, his mind wandered to the bit of info he had heard earlier when the girls were talking; they were headed to the southeast; they had to get around Lylow. It added a good chunk of time to their journey, and they already wasted two days here with him, meaning that they must've been fiercely off schedule. Anyone leaving Diana to the south was disturbed by the presence of the Garden of Death. 

Something struck him. An idea. Certainly, that'd have to have been a good idea. Başak grinned and nearly started vibrating in his spot, but opted for swaying back and forth instead much to his company's confusion. 

"So, when are we leaving?" Riley waltzed over to the boys and tilted her head at Fang. A brow was raised. "We took care of the pest, so there's no reason to stick around any longer." 

"Right, and we've spent too much time here anyway." Fang stood up and nodded to Başak, "If you'll excuse us," He then called to the girls and gave one last silent goodbye to Başak.

Başak nodded to them with his mouth gaping open, watching as the four trotted off. He then shook himself back to his senses, "W-wait! Let me escort you out at least!" Başak jumped up and trailed them, speeding back to their side. 

"Why? We can easily make it out of here fine by ourselves." Riley argued. "You should focus on your own concerns." 

"No, that's not it! I just..." his words fell flat and he went quiet. His eyes narrowed and he licked his lips, "If you'd be willing, I could help you get through Lylow. I have a way." 

Fang perked up faster than the girls could, turning back to Başak with wide eyes, "You could do that?" 

Riley just scoffed, "And how exactly could you? Last I checked, you weren't a Drip. And if you're going to suggest us to fly then give that up because Fang can't fly. Then again I'd expect by now you'd be smarter than that." 

Millicent and Angelica both winced, with Angelica taking a few steps back from her elder sister. "Riley..."

Başak shook his head and let out a soft huff. "Just follow me. I'll explain on the way," he said. 

"Whatever," Riley rolled her eyes but prepared to follow him anyway, her sisters scowling at her. 

The moment Başak turned to take off, his whole body shuddered and he stumbled over his own paws, nearly collapsing face-first into the ground. Just then, right overhead a large beam of raw magical energy shot, narrowly missing the fallen Başak. 

The male's eyes widened as the magic crackled overhead, zipping into the distance and tearing down everything in its path before fizzling out. His head shot up and he pulled a one-eighty, facing the origin point of the attack. 

It was a strong one, something that could have plowed him should he had not sensed it and end up tripping over the shock of the aura. The whole group ducked down in case of a second attack, this time not aimed at Başak, but nothing came for a few short moments. The group all stopped and exchanged glances, then took off into any hiding spot they could find away from the direction the blast came from. 

Each snaked in a different direction hoping that the opponent couldn't grasp which one to go after, but it didn't seem to be much trouble for the mystery attacker as another blast shot out in Başak's direction, this time low to the ground hoping to sweep the crouched wolf into oblivion. 

They were after Başak. 

Başak quickly rolled out of the way of the second blast, and stood up, snarling as he ducked behind a tree. "That's an Alchemist Stone's magic. We're not dealing with a True Angeloid, at least!" he called.

This wasn't an attack from a Demonic Wolf, it was from one of the bipedal demon races. Angeloids were what all bipedal demons were called, but 'True Angeloids' were a specific race of Angeloid demons. The most powerful demon race aside from Demonic Wolves. Peach skin with beautiful white wings, between one and three pairs of said wings could sprout from their back signifying their strength in magic. But, thankfully, they weren't dealing with a True Angeloid, since they wouldn't need an Alchemist Stone to use magic. All other demon races aside from Demonic Wolves and True Angeloids must use an Alchemist Stone to perform magic or manipulate demonic energy. 

If they could get the stone away from the offender, then they'd win the fight effortlessly. The issue was dealing with the incoming spells. They couldn't smell him; he was using scent blockers specifically to avoid being noticed. It was ... annoying. 

For a few minutes, all was quiet, and the group didn't see another spell cast; but something didn't feel right. Başak narrowed his eyes as he peeked from behind the tree, trying to see the demon somewhere out there. He scanned the area and slowly crept out from his hiding spot. Just as he did, the mystery attack came from their own. 

From behind a larger maple tree, a Water Skin demon appeared, a frown on his face and a purple teardrop-shaped Alchemist Stone hanging around his neck. The Water Skin was clearly trying, and failing, to conceal his identity. He was wearing a brown cloak with a big brown hood that was up, and a black mask over the top half of his face. That'd be a good way of hiding if it weren't for the fact that he had two very unique mutations that made it pretty much impossible not to recognize him even in a crowd. His long, thin tail ending in a round fin rather than fur like normal, and his skin was purple-tinted rather than the cerulean Water Skins were named and known for. There was no point in trying to hide his identity if he didn't cover those mutations. 

He kind of looked like an idiot. Actually, he probably was. 

Başak's ear twitched as he made eye contact, and began creeping back behind the tree. The Water Skin just kicked up some dirt and grimaced. 

"You know," he began. "This was supposed to be an easy job. Just a simple one! But no, it can't ever be that easy, can it?" He put his hands on his hips and shifted his weight onto one leg, tilting his head at the retreating wolf, "Can you tell me why you have to make everything so complicated?" 

Başak froze mid-backpedal; he was taken aback by the hostility. Mindless maliciousness would have been more understandable, but the Water Skin acted as if he knew him. "What?" was the only thing that came out of his mouth. At this point, his brain was stuttering off. The Water Skin cocked his head at the Bone Keeper's corpse and gave the wolf an expectant look. Başak just glanced over at the fire victim then looked back to the demon. "Uh, yeah? Was it yours?" 

From their hiding spots, Riley and Millicent both groaned; Angelica just started chuckling. Was this actually happening right now? Of course, it was his! Not to mention he was clearly stating that it was a planned assault. The girls weren't daring enough to shout that aloud, with even Riley keeping her mouth shut. They couldn't gauge how strong or weak the demon was, so it was better they just remained hidden. 

The demon clenched his fists and his long tail whipped back and forth, "Yes, it was mine! Are you actually a moron? I swear to the goddesses above why did I get stuck doing this job." That last bit seemed to be directed only to himself, but the others heard it for what it was. 

"It sounds like you offered to do it, with how spiteful you are. Do you have some kind of grudge against me?" Başak asked. 

The demon froze, then took a step back, crossing his arms, "... That's none of your concern." 

"I think it is. I just fought for my life, and if you're going to say that I'm a target don't you think it's my concern?" 

"Well, I'm not telling you!" The demon stuck his tongue out childishly at Başak, then turned away equally childishly. Yeah, this guy was an idiot. The idiot suddenly tensed and hunched over, his shoulders rising almost to his ears, "You know, you'd be better off dead. That life those others just saved is a worthless one. You're a stupid waste of space in this world. I really do hate you." 

"You're really reckless. You know innocent demons could've gotten hurt from this 'plan' of yours. You even dragged my pack into this mess instead of calling me out like a decent asshole would've." 

Riley was exasperated, "That's missing the point! This guy was targeting your life, be angrier for yourself!" 

"You want me to be angry? Isn't this just expected?" Başak muttered. He stood up straight and raised his tail, facing the young Water Skin. He stood without cover, his claws gripping the ground, tense. They got their answer for why the Bone Keeper was here, but they had another question to settles. "Why me?" 

The Water Skin tilted his head and his tail stopped thrashing, going still and slowly moving to a lax position, "What?" 

"Why do you want me dead," Başak repeated with more clarification. 

The demon gripped his upper arms tightly and grit his teeth; he spat back nothing but ice-cold venom, "Reasons you wouldn't understand! You just deserve to die, alright? You- I hate you!" 

Başak froze and contemplated the teenager's enigmatic contempt for him. He was confident that this was their first meeting. How could he have elicited such a violent reaction? The Water Skin lost his patience as Başak regarded him in silence, seizing his Alchemy Stone and raising his hand. 

From within his open palm a blue light glowed, and from it burst forth another beam of raw energy. Başak jolted back to his senses last second and ducked just in time, barely dodging the magic. His eyes glowed gold and his demon blood activated, and a deep snarl reverberated through his chest. 

"Fucking hell!" Riley erupted from the shrubbery she was hiding in and rushed to Başak aiming to drag him away. 

"The white rat!" The demon shouted, and he charged another blast, aiming directly for Riley. Her eyes widened and she stopped in her tracks; her whole body skidded to a halt and she pulled a one-eighty, flipping right around and taking off in retreat. 

Başak's snarl grew louder and he jumped out back in the way of the attack, staring down the charged magic circle floating in the Water Skin's palm. "Do _not_ bring a third party into this! Your target is me and only me." 

"You should have thought about- Ahh?!" The Water Skin was cut off as he was tackled to the ground, a shriek escaping him. As he was slammed down, he wheezed as the air was knocked from him. He gaped as the wolf pinning him down tore the Alchemy Stone drop his lax hand, ripping the cord and swinging the stone far from the reach of the stunned demon. The stone skidded over and through the brush, soon rolling to a stop several yards away. 

The group all gawked at the wolf, a beige body snarling in the face of the Water Skin, white teeth dribbling with saliva only a few inches from the vulnerable throat; large eyes that were widened into full moons full of unspoken threats, hackles raised, claws gripping the boy's shirt tightly, and a tail stood stiff. The boy finally seemed to return from whatever plane he was knocked into and kicked out his legs wildly, trying to remove the wolf from on top of him. "Get- Get off!" he screamed. 

He finally met his mark and kicked violently into the wolf's legs, eliciting a small grunt but not moving him. The wolf seemed to get whatever unspoken message was trying to be sent here. He leapt from the teenager and skidded back, standing just in front of Başak who was beaming at him. The wolf didn't growl at all, and merely glanced back at Başak who only stood taller. 

It was his packmate, wasn't it? 

The Water Skin dragged himself to his feet with the aid of a tree trunk, his claws scrabbling against the loose bark. "God fuck you," he muttered, barely coherent. He clung to the tree tightly and glared through his mask at the new face, his tail curled tightly around his thigh. His face sunk with a dawning horror that this arrival and the loss of his Alchemy Stone meant he was in a very dire situation. If it were bad before then ... well, he didn't know what to think of this. 

The other wolves, sensing their enemy's terror, quickly came out from hiding and stood by the side of the brown-furred stranger. The Water Skin eyed the group and swallowed thickly. "The lady isn't going to like this," he grumbled. He gripped his cloak with his free hand and pulled it tighter to his body, breathing heavily for a few breaths. Before the wolves could even react, he pushed off the tree, and from within his cloak he pulled a second Alchemy Stone, and with a sweep of his hand a massive wall of pale blue fire manifested from the earth creating a much-needed cover for what he was about to do next. 

While blocked from vision, the boy pulled from his pocket a scroll. The flames didn't last long and he had mere moments to chant the incantation and now could only wait for the response, swirling the glittering rune-covered paper about his body. When the flames fell he was shocked to find the wolves hadn't moved, but were snarling and on guard. Then again, they were probably smart enough to know the Baby Blue Ember when they saw it.

With narrowed eyes, the young demon bared his flat teeth at the group and his whole form was enveloped in blue light, soon whisking him away to an unknown place, with only an echoing whisper left behind drifting about the trees and to their ears. "You'll be sorry, mutts."

The wolves were left to stare on in mute chagrin at the place the boy had once been. Finally, the beige Demonic Wolf grumbled something unintelligible under his breath and whipped around to face the group of trespassers. "You sure did cause a lot of trouble not to mention noise; I say thank the lords for that one." 

Başak chuckled and wagged his tail, though his face was anything but mirthful, "Thank you for helping out, Sudhir." He lowered his head gratefully as Sudhir's ear twitched. "What took you so long to get here?" 

Sudhir clicked his tongue, "Of course that's the first thing you say to me. No 'are you alright' and no 'is the pack alright' just a question of my timing. Good to know you were worried about us." 

"I _was_ worried!" Başak argued. 

"Save it. I know that. You're the softest heart we've got, brat." He had such a gruff voice, a subtle growl in everything he said. 

Millicent frowned. So that was Sudhir, the man of the hour and beta of Kintir. Also, the idiot that failed to properly investigate a strange phenomenon that led to the near-death of his packmate. Still, Başak had the right idea with asking what held him up rather than whether he was alright or not. He was clearly uninjured, so the main question was the one they've been asking themselves this whole time. 

"Sudhir," Millicent began, stepping towards him. The beige wolf tilted his head at her to show he was listening but didn't make eye contact, wary of her status as a stranger on his territory. "I mean no disrespect but we've been wondering what kept you from helping out all this time; it was a question on the tip of his tongue so, of course, he'd ask that first." 

He regarded her in silence, then the corner of his mouth twitched down, "What held us up, huh?" he left his head fall back and let out a low groan, dragging the back of a paw down the side of his face. "Where to begin. Well, to keep it short, the boy cast a complex multi-layered spell that trapped us in camp; we physically couldn't go more than several yards from camp before finding ourselves turned around and right back at camp. We were stuck there, left unable to interact with the outside world," he said, looking weary. He closed his eyes and sagged a bit, and only then did Millicent recognize his exhaustion. 

Sudhir continued, squeezing his eyes tight, "I think the reason I was able to get out of there was due to the disturbance you caused when you, at least I'm assuming, unsettled the spellcaster. He lost focus on maintaining the spell he had cast on us and somehow I managed to break out in that exact moment of weakness. And now, here I am. Though, I'm not sure how long we were in there..." 

Başak frowned, "What do you mean?" 

"Day never came while we were there, and the moment I get out suddenly the sky changes from the star-filled night I'd been seeing for god knows how long to a beautiful sunset. It was clearly a high-level spell ... and it must've taken a while for that child to cast it." 

"That must've been why he was so shaky on his earlier illusion spells, and only used raw magic when he attacked Başak," Fang said. 

Millicent nodded in agreement. Putting too much effort into his attacks would split his concentration to a point that the wolves from Kintir would break free if not destroy the trap he set up for them. Not to mention it takes a lot of strength to cast such a powerful one; he must've been fairly low on juice. 

Başak stared at the sky, and with a smile returned to his beta's attention, "You don't have to worry, sir ... it's only been about two days since the incident began. It's the first of Autumn." Sudhir visibly relaxed at that, looking like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. "How are the others doing? Do you think they got out?" 

"Most certainly, though I doubt they've noticed. Most have stopped trying to escape on the orders of the alphas. I was exempt. But that's beside the point..." he turned his sights to the group of four, the sisters quickly huddling together and Fang raising an eyebrow. "These fellows; who are they?" 

Millicent quickly stepped up, greeting him much more formally than before with a deep bow, "We're travelers. I'm Millicent, the one who slew the beast." she nodded to the corpse, which Sudhir looked at for a moment, then nodded at as well. "I'm sorry for trespassing, we were just about to leave before that demon showed up..." she trailed off and scowled, a shadow falling over her face. "An odd boy." 

Başak spoke up, "Sudhir, why did you let him leave?" His beta had ordered the group not to attack the teenager once the flames had dissipated, and he couldn't understand why. The Water Skin had caused a lot of trouble, though thankfully didn't take any lives, but Sudhir still let him go despite the hazardous potential the boy obviously wielded. 

"He was a child. He probably didn't understand the weight of his actions; not completely. I've never seen a demon that young genuinely malicious with full comprehension of the consequences. Many regret their actions, and many traumatized." 

"Who are you fooling? You were just too cowardly to kill him," Riley said with a hint of a growl. "This will come to bite you in the tail, I promise you." 

"Riley, he's probably right, that guy was a teenager. Basically a pup! Who knows, he could've been manipulated into it!" Millicent argued.

Riley rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Just like you to defend a life. I agree he was probably an idiot who didn't know what he was doing, as his plan had so many holes in it, but he's genuinely a threat to the safety of the people here. He had enough resources to transport and raise a Bone Keeper to adulthood and _train it!_ " 

Sudhir mimicked her scoff and flicked his tail, "I will deal with the fallout of this if there is one. I have confidence in my pack's strength." 

Başak and Fang exchanged eye glances as the trio spoke, with Fang just letting out a heavy sigh. He waved a paw and dismissed all of their squabblings, "I agree that the fallout is all on Sudhir. Kintir can look after themselves, and we have no more business here. We need to keep going towards Tummajoki." he quickly beckoned the girls away from the beta, and urged them to follow him out of the woods. But Riley quickly stopped Fang, rushing in front of him to stop him in his tracks. 

"Hold up, Başak promised to get us through Lylow with his 'way' so we're sticking with him for just a bit longer." 

Sudhir turned sharply to Başak and tilted his head. "The Garden of Death? The Murkwood Arrows?" 

Başak nodded. "Our alliance is to be taken advantage of, right? They're heading southeast so I thought it'd be a convenient reward." 

"I see, fair enough. You'd best hurry, though. Everyone's worried about you. And don't stress about the mess; we'll clean it up," Sudhir said, the ghost of a smile on his lips. He flicked his tail and began padding over to the corpse that laid practically forgotten. 

With a final 'yes, sir," Başak brought the discussion to a swift end and took off in the direction of the Garden of Death, Lylow. He hurried down to a memorized path feeding directly into the stretch of the Honey Herb Prairie that skirted the entirety of Lylow and kept it separate from the rest of the world. Despite its need for isolation and deadliness, it was considered one of the most beautiful places in all of Diana; flowers of all varieties and colors, uniquely shaped plants, trees with bark unlike any other, and so many bugs that fed off the toxic flora that put any other species to shame. Those beautiful flowers that choked the life out of everything unworthy were a gift only the lucky could witness. 

And they were about to witness it. 

As they ran, Riley furrowed her brow and called out to Başak, who decided just to activate his telekinesis and connect to her with telepathy. _"Who are the Murkwood Arrows?"_ She asked. 

Başak merely smirked. _"You'll see."_ Riley couldn't help the scowl that made its way onto her face. 

It seemed there was more to that forest that initially believed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back bitches.   
> Fighting scenes made me procrastinate cause I suck at them. Like, suck big time. Someone save my poor soul. Anyway, sorry for the long wait. (For those who are reading this update to update.) 
> 
> Kudos and comments will make my day! 
> 
> Don't worry this arc is almost over and we'll be switching back over to Slash and company soon. I just wanted to show you what Fang's been getting up to. For some reason. Sacred Hellfire is the first action-filled arc and it's my experiment on trying to write action cause I suck at it. The thing I found most hilarious is that somehow I ended up rewriting these chapters TWICE due to a dumb change I made earlier that lead to me having to redo a lot of scenes.   
> It's whatever. I just hope my fighting scenes flow well enough. If they need improvement please please please tell me!


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